Third-year computer science and psychology major Sarah Chou lives by a simple philosophy: apply to everything.

“If you don’t apply, you’re not going to get it,” she said. “That’s my outlook on life.”
“It” in this case can refer to anything from a job to a scholarship to a travel fellowship. Earlier this year, Chou, along with several of her fellow CCIS students, applied to attend the 2017 Tapia Conference, which took place in September in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference celebrates diversity in computing through a series of presentations and hands-on workshops.

Never mind that Chou was already in the midst of a rigorous class schedule, juggling co-op applications, and preparing to attend the annual Grace Hopper Celebration in Orlando, Florida. She didn’t hesitate to apply for a sponsorship from Northeastern and CCIS to attend the Tapia Conference. Part of the reason, Chou said, is that diversity in computer science is an issue that is particularly close to her heart.

Chou says that often, when a person thinks of a typical computer scientist, they tend to think stereotypically. Connecting with people from a variety of backgrounds in one place helps you “realize you’re not alone in this field,” she said.

“You realize that there are so many different types of people in the same field as you,” Chou said of her experience. “It’s exciting to come together to talk about something you’re all passionate about. It’s cool to hear everyone’s experiences and how they are so different from yours.”

Chou was one of eight Northeastern students to receive CCIS sponsorships to attend the conference. Alex Tapley, a sophomore computer science and computer engineering major at Northeastern, had never been to a conference before and chose to attend so that he could gain professional experience.

Tapley said that he was able to observe many different sides of diversity from attending the presentations, which included a keynote speech from Dr. Randal Pinkett, founder of the consulting firm BCT Partners in Newark, New Jersey. Diversity is a key component of the BCT Partners mission, a principle which both Chou and Tapley agreed came through in Pinkett’s passionate speech.

The Tapia Conference was not just meant to be an outlet for discussing diversity; it was also a chance to celebrate the diverse group of people who make up the computer science community. To this end, the conference also included a number of student and professional workshops, including a resume building workshop and interview practice session.

Both Tapley and Chou also attended the conference’s Career Fair, which took place over the course of three days. Chou interviewed with and was offered a summer internship at General Electric – a position that she ultimately chose not to accept due to her ongoing co-op search, but that provided beneficial experience and connections all the same.

Tapley enjoyed the career fair and workshops because “they gave exposure to how these things work and what to expect.”

“It helps to know what employers are looking for so that you can tailor your resume in the future,” he said.

The Tapia Conference is just one of many growth opportunities Chou has taken part in during her three years at Northeastern. She participated in the Grace Hopper Celebration, a conference of 18,000+ attendees meant to connect and motivate the growing contingent of women pursuing jobs in technical fields, in both 2016 and 2017.

The opportunities that CCIS offers to attend conferences like Tapia and Grace Hopper are invaluable. It’s events like these that inspire Chou to continue moving forward in her college career and work towards motivating women to pursue careers within STEM.