#InvestingInYou: Scholarships for starting or advancing your tech career.
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our Mission
The mission of PDXWIT is to build a better tech industry by creating access, dismantling inequities, and fueling belonging.
purpose
The #InvestingInYou scholarship is designed to support students and professionals looking to get into tech, or to advance in their careers.
Systems of oppression disproportionately impact the most marginalized in our community––including those at the intersections of race, class, gender, sexuality, and ability. At PDXWIT, we believe it’s important to center them in all of our work. If you are part of these, or other marginalized communities, we strongly encourage you to apply.
about the award
For the Fall 2023 scholarship cycle, we’re introducing hardware in partnership with Free Geek! A huge thank you to the Free Geek team for providing the laptops for this scholarship cycle.
KEY DATES
Fall 2023 - Applications open.
September 18 (at 11:59pm PDT) - Applications are due.
Late September-Mid October - Applications are reviewed by PDXWIT scholarship committee
November 2023 - Applicants are notified of award status (Note: If you are selected as an awardee, you must confirm acceptance within a week of being chosen).
Note for 2024
Beginning in 2024, this scholarship will come in two cycles:
Spring cycle: Hardware (For basic access to technology)
Fall cycle: Up to $1,500 in professional development support (For a workshop, course, certification, or tech bootcamp)
how to apply
Fill out our Submittable application form. The application has three main sections:
1) Basic Information
2) Your Professional Development Opportunity
3) Your Career Story
You will also be asked for some optional demographic information, which will be used to help us improve our scholarship program.
qualifications
You must be 18 years or older
You must be a resident of the U.S.
You must be a member of PDXWIT (membership is simply joining our Slack group and subscribing to our mailing list).
for more information
Contact us at scholarship@pdxwit.org
Subscribe to our newsletter to be alerted when the scholarship opens!
FAQ
What are examples of need?
Examples of need include, but are not exclusive to:
“I’m unemployed and am looking to build up my skillset to make me a stronger candidate for jobs."
“My company can’t fund me to attend this career-building event."
“I recently lost my job in a different industry and I need to build up my skills to join the technology industry.”
What qualifies for the professional development scholarship?
You can use the funds to pay for fees related to the educational experience you are hoping to attend, whether it’s a workshop, class, certification program, or bootcamp. You can also use the funds to attend a tech-related conference.
What are some examples of classes and certification programs I can use the funds for?
(Please note that these are just examples, and you are welcome to apply for any course, certification program, or workshop!
What are the laptop specifications?
MacBook Pro/Air:
Apple Silicon (M1 Arm CPU)
16 GB of RAM
Mac OS 12
512 GB SSD hard drive
13" LCD
Windows laptop:
At least an Intel Core i5 processor
Windows 10 or 11
16 GB of RAM
500 GB hard drive
12.5 to 14” LCD
How do fund dispersals work?
For professional development scholarships (i.e., non-hardware cycles), applicants will be required to identify their workshop/conference/course of choice. If awarded, PDXWIT will use the funds to purchase the opportunity on behalf of the awardee.
For hardware awardees, you’ll have 90 days to claim your laptop.
Will my application be made public or visible to my employer?
No. All applications will be held in the strictest confidence per PDXWIT’s commitment to being a safe, inclusive, and supportive community.
Will my photo or current company be used in any PDXWIT marketing materials?
If you are selected as an awardee, we will ask you to provide a photo for us to use in the announcement of the winners (on social media, a newsletter, and/or a blog post).
Winners have the option to opt-out of public sharing of photos and other identifying information.
I’m not a member of PDXWIT, how do I join?
Membership is simply joining our Slack group or subscribing to our mailing list.
Is this limited to only women?
No. PDXWIT members of all identities and genders may apply provided they are 18 years or older and reside in the United States.
Does cost factor in your decision?
We ask that you consider what you actually need, and reserve the right to offer partial funding to awardees.
The application form is asking me to create an account, is this required?
Yes. This allows you to save your application and submit it at a later date. However, you can opt out of all email updates.
Do you have any recommendations on how to answer the questions in the application?
When filling out your application, provide thoughtful and clear answers that let your unique qualities and aspirations shine through. Take full advantage of the word count provided to you.
We recommend having someone read over your long-form responses before submission.
Are there any restrictions on eligibility for the scholarship?
Anyone who is a community member or volunteer is welcome to apply for the scholarship, provided they are 18 years or older and reside in the United States.
PDXWIT employees and their families, as well as board members and the volunteers on the scholarship team are ineligible.