Skip to content
MCWT — Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation

Our history

It all started when five women in Michigan met for lunch

Five women who met for lunch each week formed a Michigan charter of Women in Technology International. The founding members were Jill Jordan, Murem Sharpe, Blanca Fauble, Sandy Moore, and Rosemary Bayer.

  1. 2000

    • A Michigan charter of Women in Technology International (WITI) is formed by the five founding members.

  2. 2001 – 2003

    • 2001: Core team meets regularly to discuss goals; 100 founding members.
    • 2002: Group resigns from WITI and forms a 501(c)(6) member organization called MCWT.
    • 2003: Hosts first annual meeting; receives $2K for scholarships from Compuware; creates the Advisory Board; launches Camp Infinity summer technology camp.

  3. 2004 – 2006

    • 2004: Creates the Foundation as a 501(c)(3) with a $60k annual budget; sponsors 12 robotics teams at Lego Robofest; awards $56k in scholarships.
    • 2005: Posts partner jobs on a new website; forms the first GET-IT team at University HS, Ferndale; starts a college chapter at Lawrence Tech.
    • 2006: Begins professional development programs; holds the 'Power Tools' symposium featuring Focus: HOPE founder Eleanor Josaitis; develops the Website Design Competition.

  4. 2007 – 2010

    • 2007: Raises $200k at the Gala fundraiser; holds the first Golf Classic; launches the mentoring program.
    • 2008: Supports seven robotics teams; expands to three GET-IT schools.
    • 2009 – 2010: Reaches 500 members; totals 4,875 volunteer hours impacting 1,900 people; awards more than $100k in university scholarships.

  5. 2011 – 2013

    • 2011: Grows to 750+ members and 60+ partners; hires an executive director; expands into Mid-Michigan.
    • 2012: Hosts the second Camp Infinity at the University of Detroit Mercy; attracts more than 100 girls to the Website Design Competition.
    • 2013: Strengthens the Mentoring Program; launches the Women in Transition program.

  6. 2014 – 2016

    • 2014: Reaches 770 members from 280 companies; Camp Infinity's 12th year surpasses 830 campers.
    • 2015: GET-IT Clubs double with 178 high school girls; Girls Rock IT with Girl Scouts USA expands in SE and West Michigan.
    • 2016: 10th annual Website Design Competition draws 161 entrants; awards 104 MCWT Scholars with over $900,000 since 2004.

  7. 2017 – 2019

    • 2017: Awards 192 girls scholarships totaling $1.26 million since 2006; surpasses 1,000 members and 115 corporate partners.
    • 2018: Implements a new strategic plan; Girls Solve IT, Powered by Ford, launches statewide.
    • 2019: Establishes a scholarship fund; increases funding over $1.7 million for programs impacting girls and women.

  8. 2020 – 2022

    • 2020: Grows to nearly 1,100 members and 120 corporate partners; reimagines Camp Infinity as a Virtual Summer Learning Series; awards 41 scholarships — the most in a single year at that point.
    • 2021: Membership climbs past 1,245; awards 40 scholarships totaling $146,000; cumulative giving tops $1.5 million.
    • 2022: Celebrates MCWT's 20th anniversary with a Signature Gala raising $600,000 — the highest in MCWT history; welcomes 40 new corporate partners.

  9. 2023 – 2025

    • 2023: Doubles Camp Infinity from 9 to 18 camps — supported by a $500,000 State of Michigan grant — reaching 413 campers; serves a record 6,448 girls and women; grows to 1,743 members.
    • 2024: Awards 49 scholarships — a new single-year record — bringing giving to more than $2 million across 409 scholarships since 2002.
    • 2025: Awards $119,500 to 43 students across 17 Michigan colleges — 452 scholarships totaling more than $2.18 million since 2002; delivers 96 K-12 programs to 1,564 girls; launches Vino Voyage alongside the 17th Annual Signature Gala.

Donate to MCWT

Your donation directly supports our programs

Donate today

Want to get involved?

Explore how you can be part of our historic impact across the state of Michigan.

Contact us Donate today