WiTT Announces First Winners of Groundbreaking Partnership Scholarship Program
CTS, Tractor Supply Company, MTSU and Women in Technology Tennessee Team up to Offer Ground Breaking Scholarship
Nashville, Tenn. Monday February 13, 2017: Women in Technology Tennessee (WiTT) recently announced the winners of a new, first of its kind, scholarship benefiting women in Computer Information System (CIS) majors at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). Partnering with CTS and Tractor Supply Company, WiTT has coordinated a $2,500 scholarship from each organization to help a qualifying female CIS major at MTSU who will also benefit from an internship at the company that selects her. Additionally, WiTT will match each scholarship with an additional $1,000, resulting in a $3,500 total scholarship for each candidate along with mentorship by professional women in technology.
Itasca Liddell was named by Tractor Supply as the first winner of the new scholarship to help promote women in the computer sciences. Liddell is in the accelerated Bachelor’s and Master’s program in the Information Systems group at MTSU. She will be graduating with her Bachelor’s in May 2017, and continuing in the fall of 2017 to finish her Master of Science in Information Systems with a concentration in Business Analytics.
CTS named Stephanie Henry as their inaugural recipient of the scholarship. Henry is a CIS major at MTSU. Henry started college as a pre-med biology major, but switched to CIS after she “fell in love” with her web development course. Henry was accepted into MTSU’s accelerated Master’s program and will earn her Bachelors and Masters in CIS in May 2018.
WiTT’s continued mission to empower women and girls in technology through education, outreach, mentoring and networking aligns with all of the other efforts in Middle Tennessee to promote both the interest in STEM programs and the development of a competitive workforce that will entice future companies’ growth. Rita Rediker, President of WiTT stated, “We are so happy that these two accomplished women are able to represent WiTT, MTSU, and our corporate sponsors CTS and Tractor Supply in such a graceful way. Both women are dedicated to a career in computer science, and they have already shown that they are serious about their studies and becoming a contributor to a future employer.”
Companies interested in partnering with WiTT and MTSU should submit interest via email at membership@wittn.org. Students interested in being considered for a scholarship can apply using this link to the application: WiTTScholarshipApplication.docx
MTSU: With an enrollment of about 23,000 students, MTSU is the largest university in the Tennessee Board of Regents system. We are also the number-one choice for our state's transfer students and the number-one provider of graduates to the Greater Nashville economy. We also lead the TBR system in total bachelor's degree graduates each year, and are tops among all state universities for adult graduates. Computer Information Systems (CIS) was established in 1972 as a department within the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accredited Jennings A. Jones College of Business. Since that time, it has continued to grow and is recognized throughout Middle Tennessee and the southeastern region of the United States as a progressive and competent program. Learn more atwww.mtsu.edu.
CTS:CTS is a software consulting firm specializing in solving complex business problems with custom IT solutions. Since 1993, we have delivered Software Development, Business Intelligence, Quality Assurance, and Application Support solutions to enterprise clients across the Southeast. We deliver all engagements using only our full time staff of 350+ and our reliable, quality-driven approach. Headquartered in Birmingham, AL, CTS has offices in Nashville, TN, Chattanooga, TN, Charlotte, NC, Atlanta, GA, and Mobile, AL. Learn more atwww.askcts.com.
Tractor Supply Company: Tractor Supply Company is the largest operator of rural lifestyle retail stores in the United States. The company operates over 1,500 retail stores in 49 states, employs more than 23,000 team members and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn. Its stock is traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol "TSCO". We live by our mission, “To work hard, have fun and make money by providing legendary service and great products at everyday low prices.” Our culture—driven by our core Mission and Values—empowers each employee to use what they learn and pursue their goals in a collaborative, open environment. Lean more atwww.tractorsupply.com.
Women in Technology Tennessee: Women in Technology Tennessee (WiTT) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating new possibilities for women to advance and succeed in technology careers. WiTT provides a forum to empower women in technology through education, outreach, mentoring and networking. WiTT continues to evolve to meet the needs of professionals in a rapidly changing industry. Learn more at www.wittn.org.
