Transcendence, an Inland Empire-based nonprofit organization dedicated to developing collaborative endeavors for under-served youth, will host the Inspire Technology Summit for high school students this Saturday, May 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Harvey Mudd College.

Sponsored by Edison International, the full-day summit is designed to inspire the next generation of information technology leaders and to identify paths for increasing diversity in technology career fields.

“We have a tremendous responsibility to increase the numbers of women and minority groups in technology and math related careers,” Michael D. Lacy, board president for Transcendence said. “We believe direct engagement between the youth in our community and technology leaders from the corporate world will be a catalyst to enhance opportunities for under-served students.”

Inspire is designed as an active response to data indicating that many minority groups and females are dramatically underrepresented in technology related fields and corresponding leadership positions. The summit will provide inspiration from leaders in technology roles, networking opportunities and resources necessary to excel in technology-driven careers. According to data compiled at Georgia Tech’s College of Computing, in 2013 only 22 percent of California students taking the Advanced Placement exam in computer science were girls, 1.5 percent were black, and 8 percent were Hispanic.

With its focus on math, science and engineering, Harvey Mudd College is the appropriate setting for the leadership summit. Harvey Mudd educates engineers, scientists and mathematicians to become leaders in their fields and have a clear understanding of the impact their work has on society.

“Diverse teams produce better solutions and given the importance of technology in solving the major problems facing the world, we especially need diversity in tech careers,” Harvey Mudd President Maria Klawe said.

Edison International partnered with Transcendence as a presenting sponsor, providing a grant that includes financial scholarships to be awarded to several exception high school students.

Students may register to attend the summit or apply for a scholarship by visiting www.wearetranscendence.org or by calling (909) 300-5428.

Minority and female students, first-generation college candidates and students from local under-served communities are especially encouraged to attend.

For more information, visit www.WeAreTranscendence.org or call (909) 300-5428.