The University of Massachusetts at Amherst has launched a new diversity program aimed at women and minority students with interest in technology and science. The Leadership Academy organized by the Institute of Diversity Sciences (IDS) at UMass Amherst will be joined by UMass Dartmouth, UMassLowell, Harvard, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Wheaton, Smith College, Mount Holyoke Colleges and several other Massachusetts institutions.

“This program is the product of a true collaboration among higher education leaders and tech and engineering industry leaders to ensure that Black, Latin and women students have equal opportunity to develop the professional leadership skills needed to thrive in 21st century careers in technology and engineering innovation,” said equity and inclusion expert and leader of the program Nilanjana Buju Dasqupta.

Private companies involved include MathWorks, Dell Technologies, Red Hat, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Nye Lubricants and Energetiq.

At a time when these demographics are underrepresented in engineering, this program offers opportunity. Engineering has seen an overall drop in enrollment in the United States in recent years, but programs like this may help turn that around.

Over 100 students applied for the program and 54 were selected. “They are 72% women, 48% Black and Latin, and 24% LGBTQ students from 16 Massachusetts colleges and universities”.

The academy was funded by the National Science Foundation and came from an idea by Researchers, Educators, Business Leaders and Students (REBLS) - a Massachusetts state network. Given the drop in available internships, overall, and the adverse impact this had on females and minorities in particular - the academy hopes their program will help counter this trend.

Dasgupta told MassLive, “this annual program will be a fast-paced accelerator for students planning technology or engineering careers. The curriculum will teach students the unspoken culture of professional workplaces, empower them to develop professional skills, and help them anticipate challenges in early careers through reading, reflection, assignments, and discussions with invited industry speakers”.

The academy’s teaching team has two Harvard professors leading its program - the 2018 Advanced Leadership Fellow at Harvard University, Rati Thanawala,  a 39 year veteran of the technology industry, and the chair of the Management, Leadership, and Decision Sciences area at the Harvard Kennedy School, Hannah Riley Bowles,. A grant from the Melinda Gates Company, Pivotal Ventures, helped develop the curriculum.