Acxiom will provide financial support to girls in STEM programs and offer college internships to women of color to help with workforce diversity.
Conway, Ark., – April 22, 2021 –Every year on the fourth Thursday in April, the global technology community celebrates International Girls in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Day, an awareness-raising initiative designed to promote tech studies and careers to a new generation of girls and young women. In honor of the 10th anniversary of Girls in ICT Day, Acxiom, the customer intelligence company whose data-driven solutions create business growth by enabling better customer experiences, today announced its renewed commitment to programs that help girls and young women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimates a skills shortfall of over two million jobs in the ICT sector within the next five years. Girls and young women who learn coding, app development and computer science will not only be well-placed for a successful career in the ICT sector, but ICT skills are rapidly becoming a strong advantage for students in any other field they might choose to pursue.
Acxiom has a long history of supporting organizations that help make a difference in the lives of women and girls by helping them reach their full economic potential. The company is focused on addressing the gap between the number of men and women in the ICT sector. According to Forbes, women represent 24% of the tech industry in the USA.
“Workforce diversity is important now more than ever. Part of workforce diversity is having equal representation of women in STEM careers and fields,” said Janet Cinfio, CIO for Acxiom. “If Acxiom has the opportunity to change the lives of girls in underserved regions by supporting programs and organizations that are making a difference in these areas, then we have a community obligation and responsibility to do so.”
Acxiom believes that an investment in women and girls is an investment in stronger families and communities. This year, Acxiom will be the presenting sponsor for the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas program, Girls of Promise (GOP). GOP is working to advance economic security for women and girls in Arkansas by connecting and building a pipeline for girls to have careers in STEM that provide economic security. In line with this mission, the GOP also works to focus on underserved communities and high poverty areas in the state of Arkansas.
“Through continued partnership with Acxiom, the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas, under our Girls of Promise Initiative, has been able to expand our outreach,” said Anna Beth Gorman, executive director for the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas. “In 2021 we are proud to continue to address inequity within STEM and create solutions towards this issue.”
As a continuation of its sponsorship of GOP, Acxiom will be hosting four interns this summer as part of the inaugural Tjuana Byrd Summer Internship Program for the Women’s Foundation of Arkansas. This program aims to provide a 10-week summer internship experience for women of color who are enrolled in Arkansas colleges. This program is designed for students who are studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Through this program, Acxiom hopes to create a future pipeline of talent for the company.
“Acxiom is a very good company that stands out through this program by showing women that they are valuable in society and that they can be part of a change,” said Oluwakemi Oshunkeye, student at the University of Central Arkansas and one of the Tjuana Byrd Summer Internship Program interns working at Acxiom this summer. “This is a very good opportunity that will open doors for women to pass through to fulfill their dreams and accomplish their goals.”
In addition to its GOP sponsorship, Acxiom also sponsors other organizations such as Girlstart, a national leader in evidence-based informal STEM education programming for middle school girls that provides encouragement, confidence, awareness and hands-on experiences girls need to be prepared to engage in STEM opportunities. Through Girlstart, girls develop confidence and STEM acumen that allow them to take action towards their aspirations in STEM. As a result, more girls are STEM-ready and better prepared to eventually join a workforce that increasingly demands STEM abilities. This year, Acxiom will be the presenting sponsor of the Girlstart summer camp.
“We are beyond excited that Acxiom will be this summer’s presenting sponsor of Girlstart Summer Camp,” said Tamara Hudgins, executive director for Girlstart. “With Acxiom’s commitment, nearly a thousand girls across the nation will have access to hands-on STEM activities that will foster their love of STEM learning and will be inspired by women professionals in STEM.”
In the future, Acxiom will continue to seek opportunities to be an advocate for girls in STEM. For more information about the Girlstart summer camp, visit Girlstart.org. For additional information about how Acxiom supports girls in STEM, visit Acxiom.com/diversity-equity-inclusion.