By: Chelsea Thorn
Thursday, January 22, 2015

Lauren Lewis is a senior at Florida State University studying Management Information Systems and Finance with minors in Computer Science and Mathematics. Her passion for exciting young people about tech-related fields is what motivated her to become an Ambassador. She believes that technology education is essential for students today because society is continually advancing and relying more heavily on technology than ever before.

Last semester, Lauren joined the FITC team as a Student Ambassador. She is part of a team of 16 students at FSU who promote STEM awareness and provide mentoring to young students in the Florida panhandle. Lauren has participated in several mentoring events, including assisting visiting high school clubs and technology classes as well as running technology camps for young students. Her favorite activity was the Hour of Code camp held at FSU for a local Girl Scout troop, where she taught girls about different software programs such as iMovie and Photoshop. Lauren believes that through FITC, Ambassadors can communicate to student the various opportunities that exist within technology related fields, as well as help students develop important IT skills that can be used in the workforce.

When Lauren graduates in May of this year, she plans to move to Tampa to work for KPMG, an audit, tax, and advisory firm, as a consultant in their Chief Information Officer (CIO) Advisory division. Lauren has big plans for the future, which include becoming a Chief Information Officer (CIO) for a company in the entertainment or music industry. To learn more about Lauren, connect with her on LinkedIn.

FITC Student Ambassadors make up a team of dedicated and knowledgeable students both at FSU and FAMU. These students travel across the Florida Panhandle to promote information technology, computer science, and computer engineering to high schools. Ambassadors are responsible for activities such as running coding camps, assisting in technology clubs, or hosting college tours. For more information on FITC Ambassadors, visit the Ambassador page.

The Florida IT Career Alliance is an initiative funded by the Florida Board of Governors which aims to recruit, retain, and employ Florida's next generation technology workforce. FITC promotes information technology, computer science, and computer engineering to local high schools and college students across Florida. Connect with FITC on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.