Two MTSU scholars are the inaugural recipients of a new scholarship for women who aspire to enter the computer field.

Stephanie Henry and Itasca Liddell have been awarded $3,500 each by Tractor Supply Co. and Women in Technology Tennessee, in addition to mentorship by professional women in technology. The stipend is earmarked for women computer information systems majors in MTSU’s Jones College of Business.

Stephanie Henry

Itasca Liddell

Liddell, who received her bachelor’s degree in May, will return to MTSU this fall to work on her master’s degree in information systems with a concentration in business analytics. She said she fell in love with the subject after taking a course the summer before her junior year.

“I had never done anything like it, and I was surprisingly good at it,” said the Murfreesboro resident. “I was previously in a major that I was good at, but my heart just wasn’t in it.”

Henry, a Franklin, Tennessee, native who is on track to graduate this fall, said she chose computer information systems for the variety of career opportunities it offers.

“I feel in today’s society women should not be afraid to enter a field that has been predominantly male,” said Henry. “Technology is a part of everybody’s daily living. So no one should feel intimidated when considering a technology degree.”

Both students are very grateful for the much-needed infusion of financial aid.

“The additional money that I have received has been very helpful, and it will assist me in getting the right career to further my knowledge in life,” Henry said.

For Liddell, who has worked throughout her college career, the money is even more of a blessing.

“Additional funds through scholarships help make my college experience easier and it allows me to spend more time studying,” said Liddell. “Not having the proper funds to pay for my schooling is a huge stressor on my life.”

Brentwood, Tennessee-based Tractor Supply Co. is the largest rural lifestyle retail store chain in the United States. Its partner, Women in Technology Tennessee, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping women advance and succeed in technology careers.

For more information about educational opportunities for computer information systems majors at MTSU, go to http://www.mtsu.edu/cis/index.php.

— Gina Logue (gina.logue@mtsu.edu)