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There are tens of thousands of college students around the country who are most of the way through completing a tech degree, but because they lack financial resources, are struggling to make it to graduation day. A surprisingly small investment to get students through that “last-mile” can yield outsized benefits for the student and society.
Ruthe Farmer, founder and CEO of the Last Mile Education Fund, says the process of applying for and securing an internship in tech often excludes low-income students who are educated at lesser-known colleges. Listen to her interview with Meghan McCarty Carino on Marketplace Tech.
Microsoft is addressing the national shortage of cybersecurity talent by funding scholarships for underrepresented students and inviting students across the United States to participate in their virtual event, the Microsoft Security Immersion Event: Shadow Hunter, where the top 10 students were recognized for their achievements.
The process of securing prestigious tech internships often favors privileged students, exacerbates socioeconomic disparities, and creates significant barriers for those from lower-income and non-elite schools, highlighting the need for companies to address inequities and provide greater transparency in their selection processes. Learn more about this systematic barrier in this New York Times article, featuring our Founder and CEO, Ruthe Farmer.
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Alex, a student at Bossier Parish Community College who, despite facing challenges, including financial struggles, is on the verge of graduating with a degree in tech and is passionate about making a difference in the world of cloud engineering, in our pilot podcast episode of "Keep Your Eyes on the Road," a non-profit organization dedicated to helping struggling-yet-striving students achieve their dreams of graduating.
Last Mile Education Fund is among the 16 Black-owned and led organizations granted by Google's Tech Equity Collective (TEC) from the $1 million TEC Impact Fund, which provides additional resources to create career pathways for aspiring Black technical professionals while aligning with TEC's mission to build a pipeline into tech for Black developers with non-traditional education backgrounds.
During Women's History Month, Vasu Jakkal, Microsoft’s Corporate Vice President, Security, Compliance, Identity, and Management, reflects on the contributions of women in cybersecurity, highlights the challenges they face, and discusses efforts being made, by Last Mile Education Fund and other organizations, to encourage more girls to pursue careers in this field, which has become increasingly important in our digital world.
Google's recent donation of $300,000 to Last Mile will enable the organization to expand its grants program to lower-income Black, Latino, and Indigenous male undergraduate computing students, who are nearing the end of their studies, providing emergency funds and resources to support their successful transition into the tech sector, thereby partnering to take a meaningful step towards increasing diversity in tech.
Ruthe Farmer, the co-founder and CEO of the Last Mile Education Fund, recently addressed the topic of workers from low-income backgrounds during a panel conversation at the Grace Hopper Celebration.
Through a $250,000 grant, the Foundation supports Last Mile Education Fund’s Fellowship for Indigenous Women in Tech.
In partnership with the Last Mile Education Fund, Microsoft aims to reach at least 25,000 students by 2025 with scholarships and additional resources related to cybersecurity pathways.
These are the stories we address at Last Mile, supporting the students behind them in small but life-changing, industry-shifting ways. In the U.S., low-income students are encouraged to pursue college pathways in STEM with the promise of opportunity and social mobility.
Last Mile Education Fund was named a finalist for the 4th annual .ORG Impact Awards. The program honors and celebrates inspiring mission-driven organizations and leaders from around the globe that not only demonstrate a passion for making the world a better place, but also work tirelessly to create a positive impact in their communities.
Last Mile Education Fund — an organization we’re proud to be supporting with a $500,000 donation over the next two years — is focused on getting low-income women and students not into college, but through college to graduation.
Ruthe Farmer talks with American scientist and animal behaviorist Temple Grandin about breaking the barriers that keep not only girls away from STEM careers but also low-income students and people of color. | “We need all kinds of minds. Our system has been set up to filter people out. What we really should be doing is welcoming people in. We're missing out on a lot of solutions by leaving out diverse minds of all kinds.”
Founder and CEO Ruthe Farmer speaks with Jared O’Leary at #CSK8 about Last Mile. | “I come at this work from both a feminist lens and an equity lens. This is one place where women and underrepresented students are not getting their fair share. And it is the one place where if they did get that fair share would have the greatest impact on socio-economic mobility.”
Educator, author, speaker, and software developer Alfred C. Thompson II writes about Last Mile Education Fund on his computer science blog.
Last Mile announces the inaugural recipients of our Last Mile Debt Relief Initiative for Tech Equity | Ruthe Farmer said, “Clearing debt for [low-income graduates] means unlocking enormous potential. We can’t wait to see the technology solutions they will create, and the problems they will solve.”
The #LaunchHERfuture Award for Excellence in STEM Education will be given to Ruthe Farmer, CEO and founder of the Last Mile Education Fund, which provides scholarships to women who are in the final four semesters of achieving a degree in an engineering or tech field.
Ruthe Farmer’s alma mater features her for winning the gold and silver awards at the Anthem Awards. | “The ultimate aim is to see the young people in our society, regardless of income, as an investment opportunity. There is tremendous untapped potential in striving students, and we can’t afford for them to fail.”
CEO Ruthe Farmer appeared on Debugged: A Congressional App Challenge Podcast, which connects the country’s youth and technology by *debugging* the intricate world of technology. | “We make a promise to students, to young people that if you come into this pathway, we’re here for you to help you make sure that you finish … [and] get to graduation.”
This article exemplifies the challenges that face low-income students in college and highlights the rationale for founding Last Mile - to invest in low-income technology students nearing graduation.
The Last Mile Education Fund has announced the creation of a $100,000 regional fund called the North Texas Biotech Workforce Fund to support students pursuing STEM and biotech-related degrees. | “We know that students are balancing many priorities in pursuing a biotech career, which is why Last Mile takes an abundance approach to investing in students,” said the CEO and founder of the nonprofit, Ruthe Farmer.
New Program To Partner With Emmy-winning Filmmaker and Last Mile Education Fund to Increase the Number of Women, Trans, and Nonbinary People Hired and Promoted In Technical Roles | "We are excited to join this initiative and connect our growing community of computer science graduates with tech leaders who have committed to resourcing and incubating historically marginalized talent, and have taken steps to acquire the knowledge and tools to be successful," said Ruthe Farmer, Founder & CEO of the Last Mile Education Fund.
CEO Ruthe Farmer spoke about the Texas Biotech Workforce Fund in an interview on Dallas’ radio station KRLD. | “Give them all the resources they need so that they can rise up to work in these extremely demanding fields that drive innovation for our economy. “
Dwana Franklin-Davis, CEO of Reboot Representation, and Ruthe Farmer, Last Mile CEO and co-founder, write an Op-Ed for TechCrunch on why we need to invest in student potential | “It’s clear that the tech education-to-career pipeline fails low-income students before degree completion and entrance into one of the highest-paid sectors in our economy.”
Ruthe Farmer, Co-Founder of Last Mile Education, coverage of $6 million Microsoft grant | “It’s foolish to allow someone who has gotten so far to a degree to fail over something like not being able to afford rent or the right tools.”
Founders Rian Walker, Sarah Lee, and Ruthe Farmer appear on this podcast to discuss the cybersecurity talent pipeline problem and individuals and organizations could play a part in growing the future of the cybersecurity workforce.
Microsoft said it will provide scholarships or assistance to about 25,000 students and will provide training for new and existing teachers at 150 community colleges across the country.
The company believes it can help train and recruit 250,000 people into the cybersecurity workforce by 2025.
Low income students will be prioritized for scholarships, with Microsoft partnering with the Last Mile Education fund to provide 10,000 low-income students, including military veterans, with cybersecurity funds.
April Christina Curley, Engagement and Partnerships Manager at Last Mile, coverage of $6 million Microsoft grant | “Not only do we want to close the gap in supplying technical talent in the cybersecurity workforce, but we want to do that thoughtfully with a diversity mentality and an equity inclusion mentality.”
Ruthe Farmer, Co-Founder of Last Mile, coverage of $6 million Microsoft grant |
“So there’s lots of lots of great efforts to get more students into the into the talent pipeline, but if we’re not closing the gap at the end and they’re not finishing, a lot of those costs are just wasted.”
Coverage of $6 million Microsoft grant to Last Mile | Microsoft allies with community colleges to help U.S. train 250k new cybersecurity workers by 2025
“Last Mile is focused on supporting financially vulnerable students and getting them connected to the resources they need to survive and thrive.”
April Christina Curley joins Last Mile as engagement and partnerships manager | “It was very much about the work I can get done here within the organization as one of four employees. There’s a lot of room for growth, for professional development, for exposure.”
As she prepares to leave her post at CSforALL, Ruthe Farmer outlines how the U.S. can build a more representative tech industry | CEO Ruthe Farmer says, “The impact of socio-economic status on achievement in computing is something we need to focus on much more than we are right now.”
“Last Mile has been recognized for its disruptive approach to increasing diversity in tech and engineering fields.”
How Last Mile Education Fund “helps low-income female students through financial snags large and small without asking a lot of questions or requiring them to navigate endless red tape.”
Profile on Dr. Sarah Lee, Co-Founder of Last Mile Education.
Ruthe Farmer featured on the Careers for Women, Trades and Veterans in Tech and Data Centers podcast | “We’re talking about half the population that you’re leaving out if you don’t fix some of these structural barriers. It’s simply smart business,” says Farmer.
Ruthe Farmer, Co-Founder of Last Mile Education | Getting Students to the Finish Line through Last Mile Education Fund
Tired of barriers keeping promising young women, low-income students, and people of color away from computer science and engineering careers, Ruthe Farmer—the former Senior Policy Advisor for Tech Inclusion at the Obama White House—has committed her life to equal opportunity in tech.
Ruthe Farmer, Co-Founder of Last Mile Education | White House, CSforALL, and Inclusion Entrepreneurship
Ruthe Farmer won the Community Trailblazer award for her notable contributions to her community in the field of mentoring working on behalf of a nonprofit or community organization.
How This Former White House Advisor Leads More Women and Minorities into Tech
When colleges and universities announced indefinite shutdowns and students were abruptly ushered out of their dorms, AnitaB.org and the Last Mile Education Fund collaborated to launch a Covid-19 Emergency Fund for undergraduate women in computing.
Ruthe has co-founded the Last Mile Education Fund, an investment-focused scholarship programme for women pursuing tech and engineering degrees who are at risk of dropping out of university for financial reasons.
