School of Informatics and Computing students recently traveled to Hampton, Va., with faculty advisor Polly Baker and staff advisor Vicki Daugherty to the annual STARS Celebration conference.
The 10 students, members of STARS (Students & Technology in Academia, Research and Service) Leadership Corps Alliance of the School, joined 31 other schools Aug. 11-13. The 2012 Celebration provided an opportunity for students to network and share best practices in such areas as outreach to underrepresented populations in post-secondary computing programs and increase faculty peer and mentor support for students.
Students who attended were: Chelsea Bedel (Info); Ariana Casale (Info); Thint T. Cho (MAS MS); Christina Dunbar (MAS MS); Nsikak Inyang (Info); Matt Misner (Info); Michael Noir (MAS); Brittney Parker (MAS); Sarah Parker (Info); and Sonya Waterhouse (MAS).
Sessions covered everything from mentoring, professionalism in the workplace, Microsoft tools, Android application development, research and social media marketing impact. Attendees learned about how technology is changes and how they can share with prospective students why a career in technology could be for them.
The conference energized the attendees and the students are excited to bring what they learned into practice this academic year. STARS is planning more outreach through team-building exercises and bringing more prospective students to the school for tours so the School of Informatics and Computing can show what it has to offer in the ever-changing technology field.
The STARS mission is to broaden participation in computing through best practices and community building.
The mission of the STARS (Students & Technology in Academia, Research & Service) Alliance is to increase the participation of women, under-represented minorities, and persons with disabilities in computing disciplines through multi-faceted interventions. The interventions focus on the influx and progression of students from middle school through graduate school in programs that lead to computing careers. The Alliance is organized as a national constellation of regional stars that include research universities, minority and women’s universities and colleges, K-12 educators, industry, professional organizations, and community groups. Stars implement “best practices” interventions with an integrated focus to:
- Recruit and retain under-represented populations in post-secondary computing programs and increase awareness of computing disciplines and careers. Bridge student readiness for computing and increase the number of undergraduates who enter computing graduate school or the workforce.
- Advance assistant professors by increasing faculty peer and mentor support for research, teaching, and managing service.
- Sustain and institutionalize effective BPC practices at alliance institutions.
- Disseminate and increase national awareness of effective BPC practices.
For more information about how to get involved, visit: http://stars.indianapolis.iu.edu/
Media Contact
Joanne Lovrinic
jebehele@iu.edu
317-278-9208