AnitaB.org, a nonprofit social enterprise that works to increase the number of women in tech, announced the success of their annual Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) that was held in October and brought together over 100 participants from minority serving institutions (MSI), historically black colleges and universities, Hispanic serving institutions, and tribal colleges and universities. The Celebration is held as part of AnitaB.org’s MSI Community Cohorts Challenge to open up pathways for underrepresented students to enter the world of tech.
This year, AnitaB.org provided scholarships to 145 students, alumnae, and faculty amounting to over $200,000 so they could attend the Celebration, highlighting their commitment to break down barriers to representation in the future of tech. Through the scholarships, participants attended pre-GHC training sessions, an array of panels and sessions, keynotes, presentations, and the world’s largest career fair for women in tech.
As a result of attending the GHC, 90 percent of the students said that their interest in computer science related career increased and almost all participants who attended the career fair said they made new connections with companies in tech fields. Many participants went on to interview for an internship or job, some even securing a position while at GHC, as a result of the career fair.
“A key component of our strategy to achieve 50/50 intersectional gender equity in tech by 2025 is engaging with Minority Serving Institutions to elevate the brilliance of their alumnae, students, and faculty in computing and technology, while creating relationships and opportunity where they didn’t previously exist,” said AnitaB.org President and CEO, Brenda Darden Wilkerson. “The feedback from participants who attended GHC through this cohort model was extremely encouraging. We look forward to expanding this program and continuing to provide opportunities for students of all backgrounds to find careers in tech.”
