The way forward for expertise is vivid, particularly after the resounding success of the seventh annual Cisco Women Energy Tech, held on the Cisco campus in Richardson, Texas, on April 17, 2025!
This impactful occasion related 73 vivid younger college students with the huge potential of STEM, supported by 13 devoted educators. These gifted individuals hail from Cisco Networking Academy faculties, a strategic partnership that enables us to successfully attain and encourage the following era of tech professionals.
What’s Women Energy Tech?
In celebration of Worldwide Women in Data and Communication Know-how (ICT) Day, Cisco Richardson hosts Networking Academies throughout the North Texas Metroplex, providing college students a full day of empowerment, studying, and fulfilling actions. This occasion blends inspiring talks, hands-on labs, mentorship, and networking into a fascinating and academic expertise.
Women Energy Tech is extra than simply an occasion. It’s a motion devoted to empowering ladies and younger girls to pursue careers in expertise and bridge the gender hole in STEM. We’re cultivating the following era of innovators, problem-solvers, and tech leaders.
A day of inspiration and exploration
Inspiring messages
The day kicked off with an inspiring keynote tackle from Melissa Kraft, the CIO of the Metropolis of Frisco. She shared her tech journey, highlighting its energy and boundless alternatives, and delivered a profound message to the younger girls:
“Tech is highly effective. YOU make it significant. Bear in mind, you belong on this area.”
—Melissa Kraft, CIO, Metropolis of Frisco
Constructing on this momentum, the women then engaged in a considerate dialogue, sharing their private inspirations and what sparks their curiosity throughout the world of expertise.
Following the keynote, Veronica Valladarez, Cisco Account Government – Portfolio, delivered an inspiring tackle.
She vividly shared the exceptional story of Cisco co-founder Sandy Lerner and her resilient journey of turning adversity into a brand new, profitable enterprise. Veronica then related this to the women’ potential by way of her empowering message:
“Rejection is simply redirection. True innovators make NEW worlds when the previous ones don’t settle for them.”
—Veronica Valladarez, Account Government, Cisco Portfolio
Her phrases deeply resonated, fostering self-belief and resilience to encourage the younger girls to worth their distinctive views.
Partaking actions
To interrupt the ice and foster connections, the attendees participated in a full of life Networking Bingo Sport. This enjoyable and interactive exercise inspired college students to step outdoors their consolation zones, meet new individuals, and uncover shared pursuits, constructing a supportive and collaborative ambiance proper from the beginning.
To present our vivid younger attendees a style of various aspects of expertise and join them with inspiring function fashions, we ran our labs and pace mentoring classes in a dynamic rotation.
- AI Lab: Fitted to Victory – Younger minds explored the fundamentals of synthetic intelligence by way of a hands-on experiment. On this exercise, they educated a mannequin to categorise fits of playing cards utilizing their webcam. They explored how algorithms be taught, experimented with picture recognition software program, and even brainstormed how AI could possibly be used to unravel real-world issues.
- Sphero Lab: Maze Mayhem – College students discovered to program and management revolutionary programmable robotic balls by way of a LEGO maze. This hands-on expertise helped foster problem-solving expertise, creativity, and a deeper understanding of programming ideas.
- Pace Mentoring – This offered a useful alternative for the scholars to attach with a various group of completed professionals from numerous tech fields. The rapid-fire, centered conversations allowed the younger girls to ask questions, acquire insights into totally different profession paths, and obtain customized recommendation and encouragement.
The day culminated in an Awards ceremony, celebrating the individuals’ enthusiasm, engagement, and newfound data. The grins on the scholars’ faces as they acquired recognition have been a testomony to the occasion’s affect.
Extra than simply tech
Women Energy Tech isn’t nearly technical expertise; it’s about constructing a powerful, supportive group the place younger girls really feel empowered, assured, and know their voices and concepts are valued.
We have been notably moved by the conversations we overheard – ladies sharing their aspirations and inspiring one another to pursue their goals fearlessly. This sense of camaraderie and mutual help is precisely what Women Energy Tech goals to domesticate.
What attendees mentioned
“My favourite a part of the occasion was getting to attach one-on-one with the unbelievable individuals from Cisco. I liked listening to everybody’s profession trajectories because it gave me a lot perspective—it helped me keep grounded in my very own imaginative and prescient whereas fascinated with all the chances forward. My largest takeaway was the significance of staying open-minded and dedicated to steady studying. I spotted that mindset can open doorways you didn’t even know existed!”
—Jassmin
“I used to be scared, at all times asking myself, ‘What if it’s arduous? However you guys confirmed me what it means to work in expertise and what it could do for the individuals. You confirmed me that, regardless of my pursuits, tech at all times has a spot for somebody. I thanks for all you have got finished!”
—Aaliya
“Thanks for internet hosting this nice occasion. It was inspiring and really helpful. The superb mentors I’ve met by way of networking have considerably modified my life selections. As an immigrant, I don’t have a lot steering in these features of my profession, and this occasion was a terrific alternative for me. Thanks!”
—Nameless Thank-You Word
Trying forward
Women Energy Tech 2025 was an funding sooner or later. It was a day when younger girls found their potential, related with function fashions, and realized {that a} profession in expertise is just not solely potential but in addition extremely thrilling and significant. The power and enthusiasm witnessed all through the day left little question that the way forward for tech is in vivid arms. We will’t wait to see the superb issues these younger girls will obtain!
To make sure the continued success and development of this annual Women Energy Tech occasion, we constantly want devoted leaders to help with coordination, supportive companions to fund partaking actions, and impactful audio system to encourage our attendees.
In case you are interested by getting concerned, e mail us.
Thanks to everybody who made it potential
Our honest gratitude to The Batiste Mission for our Tech labs, and to our Cisco Inclusive Group sponsors, Girls in Science and Engineering (WISE) and Conexión LatinX Community.
A heartfelt because of the 13 devoted educators, two inspiring audio system, 40 enthusiastic volunteers, 11 dedicated Women Energy Tech leaders, and particularly the sensible ladies who participated. You all introduced the imaginative and prescient of Women Energy Tech to life.
What was your favourite a part of Women Energy Tech 2025? Share your ideas and pictures utilizing #GirlsPowerTech2025!
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