When I started working in 2010 as a Process Architect with the US State Department – Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the Institute of International Education (IIE) to design the TechWomen mentoring program, I gained hundreds of beautiful daughters. I knew the program would include brilliant and productive leaders in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) but not that it would eventually include thousands of inspiring women in dozens of countries in the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia. I have grown to know and love hundreds of them as daughters and colleagues in making the world a better place for us all.
Ten days ago our community experienced a deeply troubling surprise. Numerous factors, including Executive Orders, program suspensions, and changes in the payments and processes of the U.S. Department of State impacted IIE’s operations. In response, they took difficult and necessary steps, including reductions in workforce. For TechWomen, this meant that most of the team went on furlough. Since that sad and scary news came out, hundreds of us mentors and Fellows have been working daily to inform elected officials, news services, and powerful people who may help us get TechWomen reinstated in time for 100+ emerging leaders to arrive in October 2025. Over 6,000 STEM women applied to join TechWomen in 2025. Last week, I was on one of the selection committees that met with the last active TechWomen staff member to get ratings recorded in the hope that the new cohort can join us in the Silicon Valley and Chicago.
TechWomen and citizen diplomacy make our world safer. If we want America to be safe, productive, and effective in STEM and related businesses, we need programs like this. Together with mentors and Fellows, I am working to get funding restored for TechWomen and other programs, including those supported by the Alliance for International Exchange and the Fulbright Association. Exchange programs such as TechWomen are a relatively low-cost way for American businesses to benefit from new ideas, innovation, entrepreuneurship, and worldwide partners. I meet monthly with three different country teams I have coached through TechWomen; it is a vital and deeply rewarding part of my life. TechWomen mentors, Fellows, and community allies who want to join our efforts to reinstate TechWomen program funding, please contact me.
27 March 2025: Today, our community was relieved at the good news that TechWomen funding has been restored and furloughed staff will be reinstated. More on Jessica Dickinson Goodman’s article: https://hackernoon.com/techwomen-is-back-online In these unsettled political times, we will continue to be vigilant to support our beloved program to empower global STEM leadership and innovation.
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