South Dakota Mines will play host to iNSPiRE by Omnitech in Rapid City from 8
a.m.-2p.m. on March 24 in the university’s Surbeck Center.
Omnitech’s iNSPiRE event gives 8th-12th grade girls
an opportunity to engage in workshops and connect with local professionals in
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. iNSPiRE helps
young women learn more about the variety of college and career paths available in
high-tech industries. Many of the volunteers and student mentors at INSPiRE are
South Dakota Mines alumnae who have careers in local high-tech companies.
iNSPiRE has seen fantastic success in Sioux Falls in
recent years, and Omnitech decided to expand the event to Rapid City for 2023.
Last year more than 100 students from 20 schools attended the event supported
by 20 local organizations and 39 volunteers. This year’s Rapid City event
filled to capacity in a short time.
“Although a lot of STEM fields are largely dominated
by men, it has been our experience that women who choose these careers are very
successful. We started this event to
demonstrate opportunities to girls before they make career decisions and
possibly iNSPiRE them to pursue STEM,” says Joe M. Krizan, Omnitech founder, president
and CEO.
This year, Dr. Scyller Borglum, a South Dakota Mines
alumna who is a leader in United States energy industry, will offer opening
remarks and inspiration. Students will then break into smaller sessions with
mentors from various fields.
The keynote speaker at iNSPiRE is Amie Konwinski,
the founder and CEO of Smart Gen
Society, a media use expert, national educator and frequent keynote speaker.
Smart Gen Society is a non-profit focused on
informing students, parents and educators around the country about digital
safety and awareness. They provide knowledge, resources and support to empower
educated users in the digital age through discussions on communication and
cooperation, protecting safety and igniting critical thinking.
Konwinski has a bachelor’s degree in communications,
a minor in information systems technology and multiple certificates in
organizational and military leadership, network hardware, software, security
and communications. She has spent her career in military leadership, computer
engineering, executive marketing management and advocating for safe and private
digital use.
Amie lives in Omaha, Neb., with her husband Roger,
their daughters and a couple of dogs. In her free time, Konwinski enjoys
adventure traveling, exploring national parks and spending time in nature.
Members of the press
are welcome to attend the event to interview organizers and participants.