Information technology has been the backbone of many businesses in corporate America and educational institutions for years, and it is growing at an alarmingly fast rate. This profession has been male dominated for all of those years and to this day the number of women is still significantly low. Not only is corporate America to blame for the lower number of women compared to men in information technology professions, but educational institutions are also part of the problem. Women have been underrepresented and underpaid compared to men in information technology professions since the start of technology. Educational institutions need to find ways to increase and retain the number of women in their information technology programs. The purpose of this study was to determine why women decide to enter the information technology programs at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire and the reasons why they stay. The results of this study will generate ideas and strategies that educational institutions can use to recruit and retain women into information technology programs. The women were current students of the MIS and CS majors at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Michelle Johnson graduated with a Master's of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout in Menomonie, Wisconsin. She is currently working as an Information Technology Specialist in the Learning and Technology Department at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.