WITI and the Five College Consortium (Smith, UMass at Amherst., Mount Holyoke, Amherst, and Hampshire) launched the first WITI INVENT CENTER on the Smith College campus. This innovative program is designed to increase women's advancement through technology.

"The WITI INVENT CENTER at Smith/ Five Colleges will encourage students in all majors to see the benefits of incorporating technology into their career choices and encourage more women to choose technology careers," said Carolyn Leighton, WITI founder.

"It's a natural progression for Smith to collaborate with WITI to help advance women and encourage students to pioneer and lead in technology-based endeavors," said Ruth Simmons, former president of Smith College. Dr. Simmons highlighted the common goals shared by WITI and Smith: promoting women in engineering, offering internship and mentoring opportunities, and encouraging women's business ventures.

Smith College, the nation's largest women's college, established the first engineering program at the all-women's school. The WITI INVENT CENTER collaboration arises naturally from WITI and Smith's parallel paths. The joint vision of Dr. Ruth Simmons and Carolyn Leighton has resulted in establishing the first WITI INVENT CENTER at Smith/Five Colleges.