CIS Students Participate in the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing
Several graduate and undergraduate CIS students attended the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, which took place in October in Phoenix, AZ. A record 8,000 participants attended this annual gathering of women in computer science and information technology. The students' travel costs were covered through a generous grant from Women in Science and Technology Fund of the College of Arts and Sciences awarded to Prof. Norris in 2013.
Here is what some of the students had to say about their experiences:
"I was a little afraid that the conference was going to scare me away from computer science (as I was already feeling behind and overwhelmed after my first week of class) but it did the exact opposite! The presentations and conversations that took place inspired me so profoundly that during Megan Smith's speech I had an epiphany that this is exactly what I want to do. I have never been so proud to be a woman and so driven towards a future goal. While I am still unsure about a lot within CS I am hooked on the field as a whole. The Grace Hopper Celebration that everyone starts somewhere and the possibilities are endless. My favorite quote from the event was, “Why dream small when you can dream big for the same price." -Molly Steelhammer (undergraduate)
"I had a great time at the conference. I learned a lot of useful information about the industry, internships, and the field in general. It would have been really difficult for me to learn all of this information on my own, and talking to people there seemed like the most effective way of absorbing all of the information. I also got to meet a lot of girls my age that have similar interests as me. The career fair was very helpful - after talking to a lot of people, I realized what large companies are looking for in students." -Anu Deodhar (undergraduate)
"Getting to go to the Grace Hopper Celebration was an eye-opening experience. This opportunity provided me with insight into the many different paths one can go down with a degree in C.S. and the steps I'd need to take for getting a job I want. The event included professional workshops, talks from leaders in the tech industry, a poster symposium, information sessions for undergrads who are interested in graduate programs or internships, and among other things, a career fair like I've never seen before. All attendees were at different levels in their profession, coming from different companies and universities around the country. I met many people who had been coming to the GHC for years and lots of whom it was also their first time attending. Everyone was extremely friendly and offered advice as well as reassurance to the insecurities that I have while working through the C.S. major. It was a fantastic way to network with others in the field who share an interest in tech. I would surely go back next year, but this time with business cards and resumes in tow." -Stephanie McCumsey (undergraduate)
"The Grace Hopper conference was a wonderful experience for me that exposed me to many new and exciting ideas. It was liberating to be around so many intelligent women. One of the panels that I attended gave me the opportunity to hear like-minded people discuss a subject that I feel relatively isolated with at home--in turn providing me greater resolve and inspiration to pursue my interests even when I seem like the only one who's interested nearby. Most of all, my understanding of companies and industry was greatly shaped and refined, especially because there were so many representatives of businesses like Facebook, Intel and so on. I definitely feel like I have a better idea of what it's like to work within the field of computing." -Anna Pearson (undergraduate)
"I learned a lot of things in this conference and I did some networking with people from difference companies/universities/countries. The most important lecture for me was skills for graduate student, how to manage time, stress and the plan to success. I also liked all the lectures on how to deal with environment of males, which was my situation in my pervious work. They gave us some solutions to common problems that I wish I learned them a year ago to help me in my job. Finally, I have always tried to support other girls but there were small things that I did not realize they could make a difference, for example one of the speakers told us “when you see a women that is good at what she is doing, please tell her”. This helped me to understand how important that is." -Roba Binyahib (graduate)
"The conference was fun. I met many smart and interesting and kind people." -Anna Gladstone (graduate)