IRVINE (CNS) - UC Irvine and MiraCosta College are partnering on an initiative to open more doors to careers in the computer science industry, as part of an ongoing effort to boost the number of women and students of color pursuing STEM-related careers, it was announced today.
The Pathways to Computing for Women of Color partnership is intended to increase the number of women of color pursuing bachelor's degrees in computing by providing them with access to professional mentors, industry tours, academic success workshops, conference funding and a small stipend.
Both schools will also further explore transfer agreements that meet the needs of women of color in computing.
“It opens doors to more of our students to not only get accepted into the UC Irvine program but to also become mentors for MiraCosta College students,” said Nery Chapeton-Lamas, chair of the computer science department at MiraCosta, a community college serving coastal north San Diego County.
According to the National Science Foundation, women account for less than 18% of those earning bachelor's degrees in computing, and the Integrated Education Data System reports that just 8.4% of all bachelor's degrees in computing went to Latino students.
MiraCosta College is attempting to reverse that trend, where more than 60% of computer science students are from communities of color and 24.6% are female.
MiraCosta is in the midst of a three-year, California Education Learning Lab-funded program with Cal State San Marcos attempting to address equity gaps in STEM subjects -- in part by redesigning introductory courses in computer sciences, which is when most students who do switch majors make their decision to do so.
MiraCosta College alumna and UC Irvine computer science junior Yocelyne Mercedes Hernandez said such initiatives are vital in opening doors and diversifying the industry.
“There needs to be a pathway for girls and women, especially women of color, to pursue their goals in computer science,” she said. “There is more work to be done to ensure we are helping to uplift our own communities, so they can have opportunities to become mentors and leaders in the tech field.”
Hernandez was involved with the MiraCosta College Empowering Chicanx And Latinx in Exploring STEM club and serves as a tutor at the MiraCosta College STEM Center. Friends involved with MiraCosta's computer science club introduced her to a research undergraduate program sponsored by the National Science Foundation at UCI, which led her to apply to the university.
“Having on-campus connections was important,” said Hernandez, who hopes to teach computer science at MiraCosta after earning a masters degree and perhaps a doctorate “It's from having those connections with people, who have the same interests as you, that you learn about the opportunities that are out there.”
MiraCosta College students interested in participating in the UCI partnership community can apply through June 1 at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeKj3qtTnVXRZNwTX-7oo9Iyv-GU_5n00cxfIKcNJCUAndZkQ/viewform.