Questions & answers

Q: How did the Women of TI Fund start?
A: Melendy Lovett and Shaunna Black envisioned the fund more than 10 years ago. They gathered a core group of senior TI women, as well as Margaret McDermott, Mary Templeton and Wendy Engibous, and all contributed personal funds that could be used to support programs for girls and educators.

Q: Who can contribute to the Fund?
A: All TIers, women and men, and friends can contribute to the Fund. Contributions are tax deductible and can be made in installments.

Q: Is there a minimum contribution?
A: No. A financial contribution of any amount is welcome. The Fund has five open membership levels, with the minimum Friends level at $1 - $999. The Founder level is closed because the Fund has been firmly established.

Q: Are TI funds used or are all private donations?
A: All donations made to the Women of TI Fund are from private funds. The TI Foundation supports the Women of TI Fund and we also partner with other TI groups, such as Public Affairs, to leverage related programs and resources.

Q: Who administers the Fund?
A: The Women of TI Fund is a donor-advised fund administered by the Dallas Women’s Foundation (DWF). A donor-advised fund is a low cost, flexible vehicle for charitable giving that serves as an alternative to direct giving or creating a private foundation. Donors of funds housed in a public charity receive the maximum tax deduction available, while avoiding excise taxes and other restrictions imposed on private foundations.

Q: What is the Fund’s vision?
A: Simply put, to close the gender gap in Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (STEM) professions in the United States. Our goal is to increase the number of girls graduating from high-school who are entering a university-level technical degree program in STEM.

Q: Why are we focusing on women? Don’t we need more men in STEM areas, too?
A: Our industry needs more engineers and other graduates from technical disciplines.  TI supports a number of gender-neutral initiatives to achieve this goal. Because women constitute only 17 percent of students who receive engineering degrees today, there is great opportunity for growth within that demographic. The Women of TI Fund is focusing its resources on programs that nurture girls in math and science to enable them to succeed in majors like engineering.

Q: How are the contributions used?
A: The contributions are used to fund High-Tech High Heels programs that expand Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education for girls and enable them to enter technical career fields. High-Tech High Heels programs include gender equity teaching strategies for educators, counselor workshops on STEM careers and physics camps for girls.  

Q: What results have been achieved so far?
A: The number of AP Physics exam taken by girls in the Dallas Independent School District (DISD) increased from 60 exams each year prior to the Counselor Workshops to 130 exams per year after the workshops.

Since the AP Physics camps were first offered in 2003, the passing rate of all girls taking an AP Physics exam is 38% compared to a passing rate of 54% for girls that have participated in the summer camps. The passing rate of girls in DISD whose teachers have taken the Gender Equity training is 22% higher (52% vs 30%) than girls whose teachers have not taken the training. In 2008, two women connected with the Women of TI fund programs won the Tech Titan award from the Metroplex Technology Business Council (MTBC)

Q: What will we do with more funds?
A:Now that the High-Tech High Heels programs have been designed, implemented and measured, our goal is to deploy them in other independent school districts in the Dallas area. Other pilot programs will continue to test innovative ideas and formats.

Q: Are there other ways I can help besides contributing money?
A: Yes. You can volunteer for one of our programs or become an advocate by serving as a mentor and role model.