ITaP and SAP host women in IT panel discussion, networking event for students

Purdue students are invited to an event focused on learning from women who are role models in the field of information technology and their road to success.

The event, “Women who get IT,” will be held 1:30-4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 27, in the Purdue Memorial Union’s North Ballroom. Panelists include Janice Zdankus, a vice president for Hewlett Packard Enterprise; Amy Hershman, central area manager of strategy and planning for Cisco; Kathryn Seigfried-Spellar, assistant professor in computer and information technology at Purdue; and more.

The event is hosted by Information Technology at Purdue and SAP, a software corporation. Victoria Farnsworth, ITaP executive director for enterprise solutions, and Regina Kunkle, the national vice president for higher education sales at SAP, will moderate the panel.

Farnsworth says she wants to provide an opportunity for women considering an IT career to learn from others and feel a sense of community.

“I have been lucky throughout my career to be a part of productive, supportive and creative teams that had inclusion as a core value,” Farnsworth says. “Encouraging women to stay in STEM and providing positive role models to support that effort is the best way for me to give back.”

After the panel discussion, a networking event will be held for students to interact with the panelists and companies such as Intel, Cisco, Mendix and GyanSys.

Kunkle says the career opportunities in IT are seemingly endless. She wants to put that in perspective for students and show them what’s possible.

“When people think IT, they think engineers. But the world of high tech is so much more,” Kunkle says. “Our panel Tuesday will explore IT possibilities from all sides – from sales to leadership to product management and beyond.”

Faculty and staff are encouraged to invite students with an interest in a career in information technology to attend. All students are welcome, regardless of year or major.

The event is free; to register visit www.purdue.edu/witpurdue.

Writer: Kirsten Gibson, technology writer, Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP), 765-494-8190, gibson33@purdue.edu

Last updated: February 22, 2018