Throughout the country, colleges and universities are developing ways to shrink gender imbalances in higher education and the workforce. As Gender Equality Month wraps up, ACE is highlighting several initiatives from our member institutions.
Texas Woman’s University
Last fall, Texas Woman’s University opened the Doswell School of Aeronautical Sciences, the nation’s first and only pilot training program at an institution that primarily serves women. The program creates a pipeline into well-paying jobs in a field where, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, women make up just under 16 percent of students and only 5 percent of airline pilots.
The school launched with an initial cohort of 24 students, 22 of whom are women. Its associate director and chief flight instructor is also a woman, helping to create a welcoming environment for aspiring female pilots to develop their skills.
Students in the first cohort are embracing their role as trailblazers.
“I really hope to inspire others and introduce others to aviation as I’m continuing in my path and my career,” Amane Glenn, a freshman in the program, told WFAA.
Students can pursue one of two tracks: professional pilot or aviation management. The professional pilot track equips students with the knowledge and certifications needed to work as flight instructors and corporate pilots; after gaining additional flight hours, students can become airline pilots. Meanwhile, students in the aviation management track earn commercial pilot certification as they prepare for careers in flight operations, airport management, and law enforcement.
While the school is only in its first year, its leaders have big plans. They hope to expand the program to accommodate as many as 250 students at a time, add majors in subjects like aviation physiology, and acquire their own aircraft. But the primary goal is to prepare more women to make an impact in aviation.
“We want to make sure young women know, ‘Hey, you can do this,’” said Clint Grant, director of the aviation program. “They just need to be aware there’s an opportunity here.”
Dallas College
Male students have fallen behind female students when it comes to college enrollment and completion. According to the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, men made up 42 percent of undergraduate students in fall 2024, and they earned 38 percent of associate degrees and 41 percent of bachelor’s degrees conferred in 2023. To help close the gap, Dallas College provides students a wide range of supportive resources through its Male Achievement Program (MAP).
The intent of the program is to form a safety net for male students, particularly those from underserved communities, and help them find community, achieve academic success, and develop professional aspirations.
“I didn’t have much guidance in college,” said Gabe Randle, senior manager of the program. “I didn’t have anybody to say, ‘Hey, this is the right way to do it,’ or ‘Let me help you with that.’ And I struggled through college because I didn’t have that support that we offer to our students.”
MAP offers academic support, programming in financial education and leadership development, volunteer opportunities, and health and fitness events. Students can also get matched with a mentor or become a mentor for a younger student. The program’s leaders hold weekly meetings at each of Dallas College’s seven campuses, helping students cultivate a sense of belonging.
Dallas College also organizes several systemwide MAP events that encourage students to envision future success. These include trips to tour four-year colleges and universities, as well as an annual summit focused on career development and networking. The summit also includes programming for high school students who are considering attending college.
MAP appears to be improving student persistence. College leaders say male enrollment and graduation rates are now growing, and male students in the program return for another year of college at a higher rate than those who don’t participate.
Terrod Shelton, who graduated from Dallas College in 2023 and now mentors a student there, told KERA News that MAP was instrumental in helping him to finish his degree.
“What kept me was more of a community,” he said. “And I think that’s what the Male Achievement Program did, was provide a community, to give me a reason to return.”
Northeastern University
Northeastern University’s Align program, a master’s program for those who did not study computer science in college, provides women a path into the tech industry. While just 22 percent of undergraduate computer science majors are women, according to National Science Foundation data, women make up 55 percent of Align students.
Align, which launched in 2013, offers degrees in computer science, data science, and cybersecurity. The curriculum starts with a two-semester “bridge” that teaches fundamentals that students didn’t learn in undergrad.
“We have to provide welcoming pathways for women to discover computer science,” said Carla Brodley, dean of inclusive computing at Northeastern and one of Align’s architects.
Students receive more individual attention than they would in a typical master’s program to help them build confidence while adapting to a new field. During the first two semesters, students receive tutoring from teaching assistants and attend professor-led recitation sessions to reinforce core concepts. Academic advisors meet regularly with students throughout the program to ensure they’re on track. Students take all of their bridge courses with the same cohort, and they can turn to their classmates for additional support.
After the bridge courses, students take three or four semesters of graduate coursework and complete a paid four- to eight-month co-op with employers like Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, and Google.
For Sommer Harris, who graduated in 2022, Align helped her to achieve goals she once thought were out of reach.
“It was kind of unimaginable to me, getting a computer science co-op and then eventually getting a full-time job. But it does happen, and if you keep working and take advantage of the resources, it will happen,” she told Northeastern.
In recent years, Northeastern has partnered with other institutions to help them develop computer science master’s programs for non-majors. Nearly 40 universities now offer bridge programs, amplifying opportunities for women across the nation to shape the future of tech.