Women in Computer Science at Pitt

WiCStart is an annual orientation for incoming first-year women, including prospective Computer Science, Information Science, and Digital Narrative and Interactive Design majors, as well as undecided students. Over the course of the week, attendees hear from speakers, meet upperclass members of WiCS, learn about the School of Computing and Information, and what it means to be an SCI student at Pitt.

SheInnovates is a beginner-friendly annual hackathon focused on empowering women in tech. Over the course of a weekend early in the spring semester, participants form teams of 3-5 people and spend 48 hours writing code to solve problems of their choice and compete for prizes. A number of company sponsors also attend, making this a valuable networking opportunity. WiCS assists the School of Computing and information in the planning process and hosts a pre-hackathon information session for first-time attendees.

The Mentorship Dinner takes place each year during the spring semester. In typical years, WiCS coordinates a catered meal for both club members and mentors, who are mostly comprised of women working in technology and leadership at our sponsor companies. WiCS members have the opportunity to learn about different career paths and forge valuable connections with experienced women in the field.

Each year, WiCS hosts a talk about Impostor Syndrome, which is a term for feeling that one is not as skilled or competent as peers, despite success -- essentially, feeling like an impostor. It is especially prevalent among women and other underrepresented groups in STEM fields, and we discuss how Impostor Syndrome manifests in the tech field and strategies to address it.

Throughout the year, WiCS hosts a number of Bring Your Own Work meetings, where members can bring homework or personal projects to work on. When in-person, WiCS provides snacks and helps members form study groups.

WiCS hosts a number of professional development workshops throughout the year. Topics include the internship process, the wide variety of job paths that someone with a technical degree can pursue, building a LinkedIn profile, preparing for technical and behavioral interviews, and more.