Nancy Binowski: Chair, Professor at County College of Morris, Randolph, NJ
How long have you been a part of the NCWIT Community and what brought you to NCWIT?For many years, our department tried broadening participation in computing efforts with little success. Introduced to the NCWIT community by colleagues in 2016, I was immediately attracted to the wealth of practical, research-based materials that we could apply “off-the-shelf”.
What are your favorite parts about being connected to NCWIT?After the multitude of available resources, I most enjoy interacting with the supportive community of dedicated professionals committed to the goals of Broadening Participation in Computing (BPC).
What is a NCWIT resource or program you have utilized?In 2019, we were fortunate to be selected to participate in the NCWIT Learning Circle program. It provided useful guidance and feedback that culminated in our BPC recruitment and retention plans. Financial support from NCWIT enabled us to jump-start our programs, resulting in a 30% increase in the number of women in our computing programs.
What advice would you have for new individuals to the NCWIT community or BPC work in general?The best advice I would give to new community members is to attend the NCWIT Summit. It’s a great place to network and quickly learn about BPC practices that are working.
What is one thing that continues to give you hope and perseverance in this work?What gives me the most hope about this challenging work is that our efforts not only positively impact the classroom environment for underrepresented groups but also enhance the environment for all of our students.
