Women in IT

In 1980, Jimmy Carter was the first US president to designate the week of March 8th as National Women’s History Week. Seven years later Congress passed a law pronouncing March “Women’s History Month.”

In recognition of this, Salina Allen-Sharpp, Executive Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for IT and CIO, created the Women in IT (WIT) virtual luncheon for those who work in IT at UMass Boston.

“There are a lot of women in IT who don’t get to shine, or who we don’t see or know,” said Allen-Sharpp. “IT is a predominantly male field, but we have a lot of women in the background who do some phenomenal things but may not be as recognized as some of the men.”

“The luncheon was really about keeping the women in IT connected.”

Salina Allen-Sharpp, Executive Assistant to the Vice Chancellor for IT and CIO

The luncheon was held over Zoom every month and was a relaxed space for the women of IT to check in with each other and share stories about their lives during the months of isolation caused by the pandemic. Tips were shared, questions were answered, and the group shared some “possip,” a term coined by Shani Dowell who founded a firm of the same name by combining the words “positive” and “gossip.”

“The luncheon was really about keeping the women in IT connected,” said Allen-Sharpp.

Nowadays, it is not difficult to find women who have made a career in Information Technology, or many other stereotypically male fields for that matter. The IT department wants to recognize and thank the women who make this department so great, and specifically Salina Allen-Sharpp for organizing the Women in IT virtual luncheons.