Oracle Giving & Social Impact
This International Women’s Day, the spotlight is on the contributions of women everywhere, and how embracing equity is a key part of empowering their potential.
We know that investing in young women is essential to making the world a more equitable place. And inequality can prevent women from realizing their ambitions. At Oracle, we foster women’s development into empowered professionals and leaders.
Now, one Oracle employee shares how she’s leading by example and shaping the programs that are inspiring the next generation of women in STEM at her old high school.
Growing women’s careers
Senior Specialist, Maria Cruz has been with us for almost six years. In that time, she’s worked her way up from customer success manager and has experienced our culture of growth first-hand.
“I can confidently state that I’ve grown tremendously at Oracle,” Maria shares. I’ve managed software projects for small to medium businesses, and now help oversee Oracle’s grant portfolio and help manage Oracle Education Foundation’s finance operations.
“Every day, I further develop my communication and critical thinking skills, and demonstrate my leadership skills.”
Invested in employees
It’s been an inspiring career journey so far, but where did it all begin?
the Ann Richards School
“I’m a first-generation Latina student who graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. In my senior year of college, I got a call from a recruiter at Oracle who shared more about Oracle’s Class Of program. I was ecstatic, as I was searching for an employer who invested in their employee’s training and growth.”
When asked what embracing equity for women means to her, Maria thinks big. For her, it’s not just a women’s issue, it’s an everyone and everything issue.
All about equity
“Embracing equity for women means being inclusive and appreciating difference. When we embrace equity, we embrace different cultural backgrounds, different perspectives, and different ideas. By doing so, we can become leaders and marshal large-scale change.”
“It also means that we work to provide opportunities for all women. In the workplace, embracing equity for women means preparing and placing women in leadership roles, highlighting the importance of their contributions, and promoting pay equity.”
“It means hiring more women in tech and giving them the tools needed to succeed in STEM-based roles. A workplace that embraces equity for women also values diversity and appreciates the diverse representation of ideas.”
Education, training, mentoring
Education is a cornerstone of true equity, driving opportunities and helping individuals reach their dream career opportunities. That’s why Oracle provides training and mentorship for young women to level the professional playing field.
“Personally, higher education opened doors and gave me access to a wealth of opportunities,” Maria says. “It helped me build my professional toolkit and personal brand. I began networking and surrounding myself with other women leaders and mentors.”
Education Foundation at her alma mater
It’s an issue Maria feels strongly about, and she’s been keen to pay it forward by reaching out to those still in education.
STEM opportunities for women
“I was invited to my alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin (UT), to deliver a speech and discuss the importance of higher education and how UT can reimagine the higher education landscape.”
“My speech was a catalyst for social change. My voice and ideas mattered to leaders and decision-makers. Most importantly, I was a mentor to current students who will one day be leaders. All of this was possible because I was given the opportunity to attend higher education.
Maria also notes the “unmatched STEM-based educational opportunities” for women here. And, in the spirit of raising other women up, she’s taken her expertise and leadership skills full circle—back to her old high school—where she now volunteers.
“As part of my work with the Oracle Education Foundation and the Ann Richards School, volunteer coaches work with young women who are often being introduced to STEM concepts and careers in tech for the first time. Some of these young women are first generation students, minority students, or come from low-income families.”
Showing the way
Leadership skills are critical for success in any industry, but they can be difficult to acquire in a vacuum. Maria has noticed that just being a visible female role model is often enough to make a positive impact.
at the Oracle office
“Two weeks ago, Ann Richards School students participated in a tiny machine learning class at Oracle’s offices. A young Hispanic girl asked me, ‘do you think I can be like you and work in a place like this in the future?’ I responded: ‘absolutely.’”
“Oracle is investing in young women by offering them opportunities that would otherwise be unimaginable. Now, that young girl can picture herself working in tech.”
“Oracle Women’s Leadership (OWL), one of our employee resource groups, provides employees like myself with a place and a group of phenomenal women to collaborate and learn from. I meet strong women leaders who are not afraid to share their knowledge and who are transparent about challenges they face and how they overcome them. It is about women empowering women.”
Barriers
Maria believes that one of the biggest barriers to equity for women in STEM today is a lack of support structures. Historically, women have been underrepresented in STEM fields and it still shows. The good news is there’s a clear path forward.
“The biggest challenge is making sure women feel supported in all endeavors. In the technology industry, this means engaging with women early on and exposing them to the many career options they have.”
“By providing women the freedom to explore, they uncover their strengths and potential.”
“Never stop learning”
Her advice to young women following in her footsteps is direct and acknowledges the need to keep striving.
“My advice for young women is to never stop learning. When you stop learning, you get comfortable in the position or place you are in, and often that means you need to seek a new challenge.”
“Learning will always introduce new opportunities and new skills that will help you improve yourself. Learn from others, learn a new hobby, or learn a new skill, because as Francis Bacon said: “knowledge is power.”
Are you searching for opportunities to apply or grow your skills in a workplace that supports your potential? Explore our open roles to join colleagues like Maria in creating the future of technology.