IT Professional’s Talents Meet Needs in the Community
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United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County

IT Professional’s Talents Meet Needs in the Community

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Preston Simmons, Jane Durment and Michael Day at the 2016 IT United CIO Forum.

June 1, 2016

Written by Meghan Marsden Parsche, United Way Volunteer

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County is fortunate to have volunteers who care deeply about their community, giving effortlessly and tirelessly of their time and talents to make a positive impact.

Jane Durment is a United Way volunteer who was instrumental in the creation of IT United, an initiative that is focused on engaging technology companies in raising money for United Way and matching the talents of information technology professionals to needs in the community.

Could you share a little about your role in establishing IT United and its purpose?

I was fortunate enough to work with information technology leaders from companies across the Greater Milwaukee area to brainstorm ideas for encouraging fellow technology leaders to get more involved in the United Way. IT United is led by 30 chief information officers and 20 council members who are advocating on behalf of the United Way in their IT departments, to thousands of IT professionals.

We’re extremely proud of the results. We have established volunteer initiatives that connect professionals with United Way-funded agencies that are in need of IT support.  We also have two vendor partners that have offered pro bono services to those agencies. Last year, leadership level donations from IT professionals to United Way totaled over $1 million. Our partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools allows us to support high school students interested in IT with career-based learning opportunities through job shadows, career fairs and mentoring.

Why is volunteering important to you?

I’m one of nine children. My mother always said, “Our brains are God’s given gift and we have a responsibility to give back to the world.” She led by example, volunteering in our community in various ways.

What do you enjoy most about the volunteer work you do?

I have a passion for education and I’m very proud of our Student Technology Engagement Initiative. The MPS students we work with have great potential and deserve these opportunities. I recently had the privilege of attending presentations made by IT Academy students from Washington High School to their superintendent. One student talked about how the program opened his eyes to what he could be. He was able to participate in job shadows, mentoring and an internship, and even took classes at MATC. He spoke confidently in front of the superintendent. It was a moment where I knew that through early planning, we are making a difference in the future lives of young people.

About the Blogger

Meghan Marsden Parsche is a proud United Way supporter, stay at home mom to her three young children, and volunteer writer for UWGMWC. Meghan enjoys telling the stories of the programs and people making a positive impact on our community.

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