The more people there are, the tougher it is to stand out in a crowd. The women of the IU School of Informatics and Computing don’t mind the challenge. In fact, they’re thrilled by it.
More than 12,000 women attended the 2015 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing Conference in Houston in mid-October, a record-breaking number of attendees and a growth of 25 percent over last year’s event. Sponsored by the Anita Borg Institute, the Grace Hopper Conference is designed to promote the research and career interests of women in computing.
A total of 54 SoIC women, including 7 from the IUPUI campus, attended the event, and their experience resulted in internships, job offers, and an invaluable network of connections that will help the students along their career path. Just as important, the SoIC contingent was inspired by the sheer number of women in computing, and their confidence in their expanding field grew.
“This was one of the most amazing experiences of my life,” says Ashley Hammel, a junior in Informatics with a cognate in business. “Everyone should be able to have this type of experience, and I’m so thankful to SoIC for the opportunity. (Grace Hopper) showed me that we have to stand together and never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. If they do, prove them wrong.”
Hammel met with a number of companies during the career fair, and she received an internship offer with Apple as a result of an interview at the event. Megan Mullen, a junior in Informatics with a cognate in business, was offered a pair of internships as a result of the career fair, and she accepted an offer from Visa.
“I had an amazing experience and am so grateful for it,” Mullen says.
Giving women students the opportunity to stretch their boundaries and expand their experience was key.
“The career fair is overwhelming to some, and to others it’s this great opportunity,” says Maureen Biggers, assistant dean for diversity and education. “We tell people who aren’t looking for internships or jobs yet to go in there and talk. Find out what they’re looking for and what they can do in order to be eligible next year for something they’re going to be looking for. Most of the people there, though, were corporate women. Companies have started sending them as a professional development tool. We also said, ‘Look, wherever you go, you’re going to meet corporate people. Talk to them. Take advantage of that. Find out what they do and what they advise.’ ”
The Grace Hopper Conference paid huge dividends for other SoIC students. Erin Leonard, a senior in Computer Science, was offered a full-time job with Dell, and Putta Prudhvini, a second-year Master’s student in Computer Science specializing in data modeling and management, was offered a full-time job with Walmart Labs.
Prudhvini was impressed with the conference and loved the chance to interact with so many other women in her field.
“You get the chance to meet exciting people,” Prudhvini says. “If you are lucky enough you can get into your dream job. It happened with me. Plus, the speakers are really good, and there are good information sessions.”
Holly Zhang, a freshman in computer science, used the conference to build her network and get a better vision for her future. She participated in informal interviews with Fidelity Investments, Oak Ridge National Labs, Thompson Reuters, Best Buy, and Prudential, allowing her to get her feet wet and explore what her career might hold.
“I was able to find out about a lot of internship opportunities and what employers are looking for in terms of skills,” Zhang says. “I also was able to get some helpful tips on what to focus on in my studies to move me towards a career.”
Funding for SoIC’s trip to Grace Hopper came from a variety of sources. Some students were funded by the school via an initiative to fund students to attend the event. Donations to the fund from companies or individuals were matched by the school, allowing more SoIC students to attend the conference. Other students were funded as an extension of their summer internships, and still others paid for their trip out of pocket.
To find out more information about the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, visit GraceHopper.org.