Welcome To IGNITE!

What does IGNITE do?

IGNITE, an acronym for Inspiring Girls Now in Technology Evolution. IGNITE is a network of volunteers who tell their stories to young women.

The girls—typical high school students trying to figure out what to do with the rest of their lives—use familiar technology everyday (cell phones, video games, the Internet), but most have never considered careers that envision, develop, market, sell, apply, or rely on these and other technologies.

Inspiring young women to consider technology and high wage STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) careers as a positive career choice. Collaboration between industry and schools to create IGNITE chapters is the goal. IGNITE in every middle school, high school and college.

Volunteers tell their story to the girls, and that is the heart or our program. We have a toolkit of activities including, IGNITE Presentations, trips to industry, trips to colleges, conferences, job shadows, internships and mentoring. When the Professionals share their personal stories with the girls, sparks of curiosity, knowledge, hope, and possibility are created. The synergy generated by this interaction soon has the girls blazing paths to previously unimagined futures.

“To create the connections that make IGNITE unique, women share details about their lives to show that they are real people. We’ve heard women share difficulties such as pregnancy, dyslexia, and running away from home. It’s the realness of these struggles that draws the girls in and creates the magic. That’s what makes this program different and successful.”– Cathi Rodgveller, Director of IGNITE

IGNITE has been steadily building a success story, and we welcome you to join us.