SBCC students attend world's largest gathering for women in tech

“Have you ever seen so much talent, so much potential, and so much tech brilliance in one place?” That was how the opening keynote speaker greeted over 25,000 women in technology at the 2019 Grace Hopper Celebration in Orlando, FL, recently.

Twenty-two students in Santa Barbara City College's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program (STEM) were among the attendees, spending three days attending sessions led by inspiring speakers, interacting with the latest technology, talking with recruiters and networking with technology professionals.

Produced by AnitaB.org and presented in partnership with the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), the Grace Hopper Celebration is the world's largest gathering of women in technology.

"Companies are filled with people who want to invest in you," noted biotechnology major Jeanette Espinoza, after visiting the career fair. "They want you to succeed, they want to grow with you. You will be surprised how much you have in common with professionals, CEOs and founders."

This year’s theme was “We Will/I Will,” and attendees were invited to share their plans and visions for the future. Jennifer Vazquez, computer science major at SBCC, took the opportunity to declare, "I will defy the odds and show my worth." Mechanical engineering major Anali Salazar simply stated, "I will change the world."

The students and five faculty/staff chaperones were able to attend this year thanks to a Title III grant: "Removing the Barriers to STEM," the National Science Foundation ESTEEM Scholarship Program, the SBCC Foundation, and Jeanette Plascencia and Julian Green from the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Guidance Organizational Transformation Team at AnitaB.org.

Equity coordinator Adolfo Corral and math professor Bronwen Moore were instrumental in creating this opportunity, as were the following departments at SBCC: Physics/Engineering, Computer Science, the STEM Transfer Program, Academic Counseling, the Office of Equity, Diversity and Cultural Competency and Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS).

"The Grace Hopper Celebration is something I look forward to every year," commented computer engineering major Selah Argent. "It's the best reminder that I have a place in technology, and that I have the power to be a leader and an innovator."

One student summed up her experience saying, "What I gained from the Grace Hopper Celebration was courage. I left the conference feeling more confident in myself."