Community Outreach & Giving Back

 

Since 2001, we are proud of contributing over $100,000 back into our local community.

SIM and its chapters across the country continue to recognize the importance of reaching out to influence college students’ choice of major.  But they have also recognized the need to engage students  earlier in their education.  SIM chapters are have extensive "Give Back" programs and participate and sponsor STEM initiatives across the K – College level spectrum.  This has included chapter partnerships with YearUp, donations over $1.6 Million annually in college scholarships and a mix of locally designed and national programs such as: First Robotics, "icStars," "NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing," "CyberGirlz Technology Camp," and various other initiatives.

SIM Wisconsin has been very active in giving back to the communities within Wisconsin for over 20 years and has donated over $100,000 back into our communities.. To highlight the scholarship program, since 2013, SIM Wisconsin has provided $35,000 in scholarships to college students focused on IT careers.

 

The Kate Kaiser Scholarship Award

Scholarships are awarded to outstanding undergraduate college students currently pursuing an IT-related major who have shown leadership skills, community involvement, student organization involvement, and work history.  They are required to submit a resume, a one-page statement of why they deserve the scholarship, emphasizing their role in organizations, especially IT-related organizations, and a reference from a faculty member.

Now Accepting 2025 Applications!!

Do you know of someone pursuing an IT or computer-related program from a 2-year or 4-year college in Wisconsin? Would they be interested in receiving a $1,500 scholarship?

Registration deadline: April 15th, 2025

To qualify for the Kate Kaiser Scholarship Competition, students must: 

1) Be enrolled full-time as an undergraduate in an IT or other computing related program at a 2-year or 4-year university in Wisconsin  

2) Have at least 1 semester left after the current semester  

3) Submit a resume that includes the following:  

a)  cumulative GPA and a list of IT-related courses taken or an attached current transcript  

b)  description of extra-curricular activities highlighting student IT organizations  

c)  description of work activities highlighting computing activities  

4) Submit a 1-page double-spaced statement about why they deserve the scholarship  

5) Submit a brief supporting statement from a current faculty member or Wisconsin SIM chapter member  

6) Not have won the scholarship before

Apply Today


Questions?
Contact scholarships@simwisconsin.org

More about our 2024 Scholarship Awardees

More about our 2023 Scholarship Awardees

SIM Foundation and Outreach

  • SIM Foundation - The purpose is to increase philanthropy on a national level with an emphasis on STEM education and to enable local SIM chapters in their efforts to give back to the organizations that benefit their local causes.
  • STEM Outreach - SIM and its chapters across the nation support schools, programs and organizations which encourage and enable students (K-12, tech training programs, undergraduate, graduate and continuing education) to join and contribute to the Information Technology profession.

"Give Back" Programs

i.c.stars

i.c.stars provides a rigorous technology-based workforce development and leadership training program for underserved adults, connecting them with career opportunities through our social enterprise and partner organizations. Participants learn by doing; they build web based applications to solve client challenges – with coding, business, and leadership instruction provided along the way. They also gain the professional network needed to jumpstart their careers.

More info about i.c.stars|*

National Center for Women in Technology

The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing honors high school girls who are active and interested in computing and technology, and encourages them to pursue their passions. This multi-tiered competition includes recognition at the national level and at the local level, serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and all U.S. overseas military bases.

Each local award taps into the powerful network of NCWIT Alliance members: teams from academia, non-profit organizations, startups, and corporations that come together to build a community of support for young girls interested in computing.

More info about NCWIT Aspirations in Computing