TEMPE, AZ--(Marketwired - February 12, 2016) - As one of the first technology Universities to respond to the recent White House initiative 'Computer Science For All," University of Advancing Technology (UAT) proudly serves as host for the largest statewide Code Day in Arizona, not to mention one of the largest in the nation, presented by Startup AZ Foundation, to be held on February 13-14, 2016.

Code Day Arizona, the largest 24-hour statewide coding event held in our state to date with close to 250 youngsters participating, puts the focus on engaging young adults in underserved populations and areas with limited technical resources. Code Day Arizona serves as a perfect example of the implementation of President Obama's bold new initiative 'Computer Science for All,' which lends to "empower all American students from kindergarten through high school to learn computer science and be equipped with the computational thinking skills they need to be creators in the digital economy." In fact, UAT's Board of Directors is currently considering the creation of its own technology charter high school in an effort to address this ever-growing need.

In the 2016 State of the Union Address, President Obama said, "In the coming years, we should build on that progress, by … offering every student the hands-on computer science and math classes that make them job-ready on day one."

As an educational institution offering elite degrees in Computer Science and Programming, UAT is aware of the lacking number of students enrolled in STEM-related degrees and supports community outreach events like Code Day Arizona. Last fall, UAT sponsored the 2015 Great Arizona Code Challenge, where UAT scholarships were awarded to the winners. Over the years, UAT has created and maintains longstanding relationships with a funnel of future technologists from the East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT), and promotes the need for a greater focus on STEM education nationwide. By hosting the largest Code Day in the state of Arizona at our technology-infused campus, we aim to increase the chances for the younger generation to spark an interest in technology.

According to the White House blog, "Last year, there were more than 600,000 high-paying tech jobs across the United States that were unfilled, and by 2018, 51 percent of all STEM jobs are projected to be in computer science-related fields. Computer science and data science are not only important for the tech sector, but for so many industries, including transportation, healthcare, education, and financial services."

UAT President Jason Pistillo, who holds an undergraduate degree in Software Engineering, couldn't agree more, as he said, "For some time now there's been more demand for programming graduates from industry than students enrolled in Computer Science majors to fill the deficiency in the job market. When we look out across the census data, we realize that there are simply not enough young people engaging in this amazing field, to create the passion before they enter college. We've decided to be proactive and make a concerted effort to help."

Code Day Arizona begins Saturday, Feb. 13, at noon and concludes 24 hours later on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016, at University of Advancing Technology, presented by Startup AZ Foundation, in collaboration with State Farm, Go Daddy, Student RND and Valley Leadership. This event will focus on bringing students in from cities and towns across the state of Arizona in an effort to promote technical skills among youth and make Arizona a technology hub for the future.

About StartUp AZ Foundation:

StartUp AZ Foundation is a collaborative fund of the Arizona Community Foundation. Founded in 2015, the organization is working to build Arizona into the most generous community of entrepreneurs in the world by providing support, education, connectivity, and collaboration to the state startup ecosystem. For more information visit: www.startupaz.org

About Code Day Arizona: Code Day fills the gap between in-school programs, which explain how to code, and the eternal question of students: why do I need to know this? Students start out Code Day by pitching ideas for projects, and then spend the next 24-hour coding the most interesting ideas in small groups. Throughout the event, students get help from our staff in the form of workshops and during-event mentorship. Code Day is a national program supported by Student RND. https://studentrnd.org/

About University of Advancing Technology (UAT):

University of Advancing Technology is an elite, family-owned, private technology University focused on educating students in advancing technology who desire to innovate for our future. Our technology infused, urban campus is a technology nexus; a collection of technophiles, tech geeks and mavens of the digital world that evolve into top technology executives, master programmers, cyber warriors, forensic sleuths, robotic engineers, interactive filmmakers, and game innovators for entertainment and government animation applications.  http://www.uat.edu/

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Lauren Fach
UAT Public Relations
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