At Rewriting the Code, we see these findings as a call to action for companies to intentionally build environments where equity, transparency, and support are embedded into everyday structures. From clarifying promotion pathways and strengthening onboarding to investing in manager training, mentorship, and identity-based networks, the opportunities are clear: when organizations prioritize equity and belonging, they not only create pathways for diverse talent to thrive, but also strengthen the future of their workforce.

The post Duke & Rewriting the Code Early-Career Study appeared first on Rewriting the Code.

What is Black Wings Hacks?

Black Wings Hacks, founded and led by the RTC Black Wings community, is an inclusive hackathon dedicated to college women in tech. It’s a unique opportunity to collaborate, innovate, and showcase your skills in a supportive environment. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced coder, this event is tailored to help you take your tech innovation to the next level. Not interested in hacking? You can still attend our workshop sessions and cheer on your RTC community!

Why You Should Attend

• Learn and Grow: Participate in workshops led by industry experts and access mentors to help you.
• Network: Connect with like-minded women and tech professionals. You can also opt-in to share your resume directly with our company partners!
• Innovate: Dream up a project and make it a reality. This is an excellent opportunity to showcase work on your resume!
• Celebrate Diversity: Be part of an event that values inclusivity and representation.

Event Details

• Date: February 3-5, 2024
• Location: Online
• Registration Opens: December 4, 2023
• Early Bird Special: Register before January 1, 2024, for a free Black Wings Hacks shirt!

Not a Member Yet?

No problem! Black Wings Hacks is open to all self-identifying college women in tech, but you need to be a member of Rewriting the Code to participate. Becoming a member is easy and opens doors to woman-centered resources, mentorship, and a supportive community. Join us now and be part of a movement that’s rewriting the tech industry.

How to Register

Ready to start your hackathon adventure? Register now for Black Wings Hacks 2024 and be part of an empowering experience for women pursuing careers in tech. Remember, registering early secures your spot and gets you some cool swag!

Black Wings Hacks 2024 is more than just a hackathon – it’s an opportunity to get creative, show yourself what you can do, and feel supported while doing it. We can’t wait to see the incredible innovations and connections that will emerge from this event. Join us in our journey towards a more equitable and diverse tech industry!

The post Join Rewriting the Code’s Annual Virtual Hackathon, Black Wings Hacks 2024! appeared first on Rewriting the Code.

On February 16, 2023, Rewriting the Code (RTC) announced that we have selected Khoury College as our first official collegiate partner. The announcement came during a fireside-style chat between Khoury College Dean Elizabeth Mynatt and Rewriting the Code founder Sue Harnett, an event attended by existing RTC and Khoury community members. The pair discussed the partnership’s future and its goal of creating a better future for women in computer science.

RTC is an international nonprofit of over 17,000 undergraduates, graduates, and young professionals worldwide striving to create a more inclusive community within tech and computer science. Our organization helps women in computer science to network with each other and employers and provides students and early-career tech professionals with mentorship and networking opportunities.

While spending her college career studying economics and healthcare administration and earning accolades as one of the top scorers in Duke women’s basketball history, Harnett recognized a problem in computer science — the large discrepancy in the number of men and women working in the field. Harnett founded RTC seven years ago using her leadership and organizational skills, hoping to encourage more women to enter the field.

RTC and Northeastern strive to empower all women in tech by building trusted communities and networks designed for female CS students and those early in their careers. Mynatt recalled many times when she was the only woman in a computer science class, but over time, she said, things began to change. Early in her career at Georgia Tech, Mynatt helped to create a new Ph.D. program in human-centered computing. After the program was up and running, she began to see a difference in the people joining and their contributions; the program enabled greater diversity in students and research topics.

“Not only did we have more women in the building, but they asked different questions, they had different research goals, they brought different agendas with them for what impact they wanted to make in the world,” Mynatt said. By having more women in the program, more perspectives entered the classrooms, and learning was enriched.

During her time at Khoury College, Mynatt has spotlighted and furthered the college’s gender diversity goals. At the RTC event, she noted that the college’s most recent fall undergraduate class is 47 percent female and that the Align master’s program is 54 percent women, both well ahead of the field’s averages. The College strives to keep those numbers high to bring more equity to the profession and more diverse perspectives into Khoury classrooms.

After Mynatt and Harnett introduced the partnership and discussed their experiences, career goals, and journeys, fifth-year computer science and economics major Amina Haida came forward to talk about how impactful Rewriting the Code was throughout her time at Khoury College. Haida joined RTC five years ago as a freshman, searching for a community and a place to network with other women. RTC became a great place for her to do this, and she’s been a part of the organization for the last few years. When she was on co-op in New York City, she even got to attend an RTC event and network with women and companies from other regions.

Haida shared that she struggled with impostor syndrome while in her computer science classes. She credits her regained confidence to organizations like RTC, which helped her see that other people who looked like her also felt the same way.

The event concluded with an opportunity for the community members to ask Mynatt and Harnett questions. With about 30 students of all ages and from both graduate and undergraduate programs in attendance, nearly every student participated. Their questions — largely about how to join RTC and network through the organization — showed the community’s excitement for the new partnership and the work to come.

Stay connected with RTC through Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or join our community of 17,000+ women in tech.

The post In Partnering With Khoury College, Rewriting the Code Aims to Empower Women in Tech appeared first on Rewriting the Code.

On November 18, RTC arranged for members in Pittsburgh to spend the afternoon visiting the Dick’s Sporting Goods (DSG) Corporate Office! 

We received a warm welcome from Dick’s Sporting Goods campus recruiting team when we arrived. From there, we had lunch with the tech leaders, who shed insight into the culture and organizational structure of DSG. Additionally, we were able to learn more about the teams and ongoing projects, while receiving thoughtful answers to any questions we had!

Afterward, we went on a tour of the office and learned more about the day-to-day life of DSG employees. Dick’s Sporting Goods heavily values collaboration, and this was reflected in the office layout – there were so many spaces for teammates to work together in “neighborhoods”!

We also learned more about Hackathon and other unique opportunities for employees and interns to get involved in. Here is the wall where the winners of each year’s Hackathon are displayed:

We were also able to see the office amenities – such as an onsite PNC, Starbucks, food court, and fitness center (including a basketball court, indoor track, and more)!

Finally, we wrapped up our visit with a Women in Tech panel at Dick’s Sporting Goods. All of our panelists had amazing insights, and I’m so grateful to have gained advice from a diverse set of individuals. We learned so much about DSG’s efforts to support and encourage diversity in the workplace, and there was even a wall dedicated to the Women in Tech group!

Thank you so much to RTC (especially Kristin) for arranging this trip; Ryan and the DSG recruiting team for hosting us, and all the DSG employees who took the time to meet with us!

The post Rewriting the Code x Dick’s Sporting Goods appeared first on Rewriting the Code.

Durham, NC—August 1, 2022—Today, Rewriting the Code (RTC) and Last Mile Education Fund released the RTC Women in Tech Fund, a $1.5M collaborative fund that will invest in degree completion for undergraduate women in computing facing financial obstacles to graduation. 

Funds are awarded to female-identifying college undergraduates within four semesters of completing a computing-related degree. Though enrollment in computing degree programs is growing, many students don’t make it over the finish line to graduation. Nationally, less than 20% of students from the bottom two income quartiles earn a degree within six years of starting college, and financial obstacles are often the cause. 

“It’s a critical period where traditional financial aid and scholarships dwindle or run out alongside growing costs associated with adult independence,” Sue Harnett, founder and president of Rewriting the Code, said. “What many consider minor trip-ups—a dying computer or broken-down car—can completely pull low-income, often marginalized students out of a degree program.”  

In addition to unforeseen crises and basic living expenses like bills, groceries, housing, and transportation, low-income students in computing often can’t afford to participate in critical resume- and skill-building activities like clubs, conferences, hack-a-thons, and even paid internships that require an upfront investment in relocation.

The fund will provide rapid-turnaround mini-grants to address urgent needs, and larger grants to cover catastrophic events, access to opportunities, and tuition shortfalls. Applications are open now to members of Rewriting the Code.

Isha Brown is an RTC member who received a grant from Last Mile in March. She said the impact of someone believing in her future as a female technologist is significant.

“Their generous grant covered my housing costs for the Spring semester, allowing me to focus on my studies. I was able to carry a full course load so I can graduate later this year with a degree in software development!” she said. “As a first-generation college student, I never imagined I would get this far! Learning to code and having the privilege of education has changed my life.” 

Last Mile’s first-of-its-kind approach, launched in late 2019, has garnered attention from media outlets like CNBC, Forbes, Reuters, and TechCrunch. The RTC Women in Tech Fund, seeded with an initial $1.5 million from Goldman Sachs, joins a portfolio of Last Mile partners and investors that includes Microsoft, philanthropist Ken Griffin, Capital One, SAP, AnitaB.org, CodePath, and Breakthrough Tech, among others.

“What we’re doing isn’t charity. It fills the half-million-engineer gap and creates gender and cultural diversity that we know drives innovation,” Ruthe Farmer, CEO and founder of Last Mile, said.  “An investment in the last mile of a student’s journey to a technical degree is an extremely light lift that profoundly accelerates their ability to become high-earning, economy-building technologists,” she added. “It’s the difference between having more technical assets in the workforce and not having them. Right now, we need them more than ever.”

Last Mile Education Fund has set an ambitious goal to invest $60M in 30,000 striving tech and engineering students over the next decade. That number is estimated to produce more than $2.5Bn in wages, increase social mobility for low-income students and their families, and address the talent and diversity crises in tech.  

Read more at rewritingthecode.org/women-in-tech-fund.

About Rewriting the Code

Rewriting the Code is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has developed a community of exceptional college and early-career women passionate about technology. RTC empowers women to become the next generation of engineers and tech leaders by providing community, industry education, professional and personal development, and hands-on experience through partnerships with companies across North America. RTC’s community comprises 15,500+ women—4,800+ undergraduates, 700 graduate students, and 10,000+ early-career professionals. 

For additional information, visit RewritingtheCode.org and LinkedIn.

About Last Mile Education Fund

Last Mile Education Fund offers a disruptive approach to both social inequity and increasing diversity in technology by addressing critical funding gaps for low-income, underrepresented students within reach of a degree. Last Mile takes an abundance approach, investing in students demonstrating commitment to a technical degree, providing agile, just-in-time support for challenges they face beyond their control, and incubating them to be the next generation of innovators—because sometimes the last dollar invested is the most important of all. Since 2020, Last Mile has awarded over 1,600 grants. Last Mile grantees  are 40% Black, 25% Hispanic, 16% Asian, 9% White, and 2% Native American. 

For additional information, visit LastMile-ed.org and Twitter.

Media Contacts: 

Rewriting the Code:
Sue Harnett. [email protected], 919.818.2536

Last Mile Education Fund:

Ruthe Farmer, [email protected], 303.720.1913

###

The post New Collaborative Fund to Invest in Undergraduate Women in Computing appeared first on Rewriting the Code.

Recently, I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Duolingo NYC office. Although I was a little nervous about what to expect, my first steps onto the floor were met with warm greetings from Brittany Mitlo, University Recruiting Manager for Duolingo. Brittany was so friendly and welcoming that it immediately put me at ease. After Brittany welcomed me, I saw all the colorful and cozy seating including hammock swings with the skyline of New York City in the background. It was the most beautiful office space I had ever seen!

Soon after, I settled into the conversation pit couch- yes, a literal couch “pit” cut into the floor- where a bunch of RTC women were already chatting. After we introduced ourselves, we talked about literally everything – the exciting stuff we were doing in our internships, fun things we found to do in the city, and got to know a little bit about the recruiters. There were women from small and large schools, those who were local, and those from other countries! There were freshman all the way to graduate students. It was so cool to interact with such a diverse group of women! Most of my time with RTC has been virtual, so it was such a surreal experience to meet members of the community in person. Before joining RTC, most of my network was made up of men. Thanks to RTC, now many of my close contacts are women who share some of the same experiences, tech interests, and goals.

After everyone arrived, we started off on a personal tour of the office. But then, a special visitor appeared – THE DUOLINGO OWL!!! We were all ecstatic to meet Duo! The neon green owl! Like true fans, we all lined up to take photos complete with funny poses with our favorite owl mascot. Taking pictures with Duo has quite literally been the highlight of my summer so far! After pictures and high-fives, we continued the office tour (including grabbing snacks and drinks from their free snack station).

Duolingo’s office space gives you great insight into their company culture. The space is open, clean, inviting, bright, and truly encourages employees to collaborate cross-functionally and in a meaningful way. These are exactly the features I am looking for in an employer! The meeting rooms are visible through large panes of glass where you can see the company core values displayed throughout the office. The values that really stuck with me were how Duolingo expects employees to put the learners first, test everything as much as possible, and be kind.

Some of the desks had little Duo plushies on them and there were arcade consoles throughout the office. You can tell that working at Duolingo is a lot like being on the app – you are able to accomplish amazing tasks while still having a lot of fun.

After the tour, we ate dinner in small groups, each with our own Duo hosts. The Duos talked about their company experience and encouraged us to ask any questions. I chatted with a Duo technical recruiter, a Duo software engineer that works on app stability, and a Duo software engineering intern.

They each had such amazing things to share and really helped expand my already great impression of Duolingo. For example, I learned about their award-winning internship program, what they look for during the hiring process, and what it is like to work at Duolingo. I was excited to hear the amazing perks of working at Duolingo that you can’t get at other tech companies – like having lunch with the CEO or the annual company vacation. Most of those I met had left big and notable tech companies to find a home at Duolingo and noticeably liked Duolingo better. I could tell they genuinely find their work meaningful and enjoy what they do, which was refreshing for me to see.

The visit to Duolingo completely changed my view on what working in tech could be like. Tech can sometimes have a reputation for being demanding and grueling, but to see a company that actively defies that practice for their employees was amazing. As I look for a full-time role after graduation, I am now considering the type of environment I want to work in and the meaningfulness of the work I would be doing. I am so grateful to RTC for this truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. They have always pushed the boundaries of what I think is possible for women in tech and will continue to do so in the future.

The post Duolingo x RTC In NYC! appeared first on Rewriting the Code.

Goldman Sachs will also provide funding of $1,000,000 to support mentorships, programming, and education for the RTC community. The RTC Women in Tech Fund is invested in college undergraduates that are within four semesters of graduation, are pursuing a computing-related major, and can demonstrate financial need.

“I am thrilled to be taking the next step in our partnership with RTC, Black Wings, and Latinas de RTC. This initiative is supplementary to various mentorship programs we host with them and will provide financial support to women in technology who need assistance in completing their degrees, ultimately leading to increased representation of women in the industry,” said Rob Fuentes, global head of Digital Talent Acquisition and co-head of Engineering Hispanic/Latinx Network at Goldman Sachs.

Grant options include:

• Emergency Mini-Grants up to $599 to help students overcome short-term obstacles to their progress.
• Bridge Grants up to $3,000 to overcome potentially catastrophic financial hurdles or access critical resume-building opportunities.
• RTC Academic Grants up to $10,000 to cover tuition and expenses for the final credits to degree completion.

“Goldman Sachs’ generous grant will position Rewriting the Code to appropriately seed and launch RTC’s Women in Tech Fund,” added Sue Harnett, Founder & President of Rewriting the Code. “The Fund supports RTC students who are experiencing financial hardships that impact their ability to focus on, and complete their computing degrees. Increasing the number of women and intersectional women in tech, requires a holistic approach including mentorship, educational programming, community building and financial support. Access to financial support will allow the women of RTC to exhale and focus on completing their degree.”

This financial partnership is an extension of an existing partnership RTC has had with Goldman Sachs since 2019 when two RTC members interned at Goldman Sachs the year prior and introduced Managing Director Elizabeth Byrnes to the RTC community and its impact on women in technology-focused jobs. This resulted in a Talent Acquisition partnership for both employees and interns that has doubled in size year over year. In early 2020, Rob Fuentes championed the Engineer Match program to include career development for both male and female-identifying engineers and will lead the RTC Women in Tech Fund partnership moving forward.

For more information, please visit: www.rewritingthecode.org/womenintechfund

Rewriting the Code is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has developed a community of exceptional college and early career women with a passion for technology. RTC empowers women to become the next generation of engineers and tech leaders by providing community, industry education, professional and personal development, and hands-on experience through partnerships with companies across North America.

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. is a leading global financial institution that delivers a broad range of financial services across investment banking, securities, investment management and consumer banking to a large and diversified client base that includes corporations, financial institutions, governments, and individuals. Founded in 1869, the firm is headquartered in New York and maintains offices in all major financial centers around the world.

The post Goldman Sachs & Non-Profit Rewriting the Code Introduce RTC Women in Tech Fund appeared first on Rewriting the Code.

After almost two long years of no in-person events, RTC has reinstated Summer Hubs, and I am thrilled about it! What are Summer Hubs, and why am I so thrilled? Great questions! RTC Summer Hubs are a chance for RTC women in tech who are interning in different cities to connect, commiserate, and even collaborate! As a virtual community, although we are actively engaged online, nothing beats showing up at a great venue and being surrounded by other college women in tech, some of whom you’ve met online but you’ve been excited to make a connection IRL!  

Last week, I had a chance to do both! Figma, a web-based graphics editing and user interface design app, invited RTC women to an exclusive dinner in Soho, NYC. There, I met other RTC women from Latinas de RTC, Black Wings, Summer Hub leaders, and more! Figma brought along some of their amazing Figmates (those who build Figma software). Over dinner, we enjoyed getting to know each other and Figma’s brand and opportunities for RTC women.

I cannot describe how refreshing this dinner was! It wasn’t just the incredible setting, the menu, or the conversation- it was the intimacy and power of all these things combined! Being remote for so long made me forget how much fun and genuine in-person events can be. I felt welcomed and included sitting at a table full of Figmates and RTC members. It is rare to have a feeling like that, but it’s something that both Figma and RTC embody. Also, as someone who uses Figma, it was so interesting learning about the technology behind the application. 

When speaking to the engineers, I felt seen and validated because of our shared experiences as women and students. The words and feelings shared by the Figmates were invaluable to my fellow RTC members and me because of what we have in common, but even more special since we were face-to-face. Breaking through the screen and connecting in person allowed us to express our thoughts, concerns, and passions and really showed me a path toward becoming a successful Latina woman in tech. Hearing the Figmates’ stories and words of encouragement is something I will forever treasure. 

I went to the event to meet my RTC peers, learn about Figma, and of course… enjoy the menu and venue. Although we did speak about career opportunities at Figma, connecting on an interpersonal level is what really made the magic! We laughed, smiled, and opened up to each other. This is what I have been missing, and clearly what we have all been looking for. Being in person is an irreplaceable experience, and I cannot thank Figma and RTC enough for this beautiful opportunity. I am looking forward to the next of many RTC Summer Hub events, and am definitely regularly checking Figma’s career site for internships and openings!

The post RTC Leaders x Figma Eng GEMS Dinner appeared first on Rewriting the Code.

Many of these professionals work as engineers who offer diverse backgrounds and experiences, which provide the student community access to unique insight into the field and resources for career placement and transition.

The RTC Mentor Spotlight Series is designed to showcase some of our mentors who are passionate about lifting up women in tech.

If you are an RTC member and interested in finding a mentor, navigate to the MENTOR tab in your teamRTC account!

For professional engineers interested in joining our community as an RTC Champion, complete the interest form here.

Mentor Profile:

Name: Sneha Bhalodia
Title: Data Scientist
Company: Twitter
Alma Mater: North Carolina State University
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sneha-bhalodia/

How did you become interested in tech and what experience was most instrumental in preparing you for your role?

Growing up I always enjoyed logic puzzles, and when I started my first programming class it felt like I was solving puzzles using code. I decided to go into computer science which introduced me to a variety of other areas in tech such as data science.

What experiences were instrumental in preparing you for your current role?

All the work experience I’ve had starting with my internships, have taught me about new technologies I’ve never used or a part of business I had never worked in. While I have primarily been in Data Science roles, the business problems I was working on and the cross-functional partners I was collaborating with varied based on whether I was working within Finance, Professional Services, or Engineering at the time.

I have been very fortunate to have had opportunities where teams took a chance on me, whether I was new to finance or had no experience with cloud infrastructure. Being in positions where there were opportunities to learn and be challenged were crucial, especially being early in my career.

What’s your favorite advice you would give someone who is considering a career in your industry or role?

When I was considering a career move in the past, my mentor would remind me to make sure I’m running towards something rather than away from something. I am very grateful for those reminders and have tried to be more patient and deliberate with my decisions. Also, what a data science role entails can be quite varied across industries and companies. Sometimes a DS role at one place may even have a different title at another, so it’s important to evaluate what you’re looking for before making moves.

What is your favorite thing about working in tech? What do you find most challenging?

The most challenging aspect about working in tech is also what makes it the most exciting – things change quickly. Regular updates to a tech stack you’re working with can change your daily workflow that you have to adapt to.  While the technologies we use for our daily work are changing, we’re also continuously trying to create either for end users, clients, or internal stakeholders. Even seemingly small changes can add up quite significantly within just a year, both for what we must adapt to and what we produce.

The post RTC Tech Mentor Spotlight – March 2022 appeared first on Rewriting the Code.

The first initiative of this sponsorship is a collaboration with Rewriting the Code to provide 20 conference scholarships to the National Society of Black Engineers Conference in Anaheim, CA, in late March. These scholarships are available to Black women undergraduates within the RTC Black Wings community.  

The scholarships are open to RTC Black Wings members in the Class of 2023 and 2024 who attend US colleges and universities and are physically located in the United States. The scholarship will pay for conference registration, transportation, accommodations expense & meal allowance. Recipients will be provided with dedicated time to meet and network with JPMorgan Chase recruiters and engineers as well as with the RTC Black Wings leaders and team. The conference provides educational sessions, and a career fair. The experience will also build community with fellow Black Wings members. The application deadline is March 2, 2022, at midnight EST. 

Sue Harnett, Founder & President of Rewriting the Code remarked, “We’re thrilled to introduce the RTC community to JPMorgan Chase as we share a common passion for supporting women in tech.” Ebele Kemery, Head of Global Technology, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion said, “We are so pleased to partner with Rewriting the Code to provide these scholarships to Black women. Being able to support and elevate upcoming female technologists is an important part of our strategy. We are committed to providing access to a career in technology as a pathway to wealth in the Black community, and contribute to a future landscape where there is more diverse representation in the technology industry.”

Applicants will be asked to write an essay on their future goals they are working towards in their technology related major. Dr. Kristin Austin, Rewriting the Code’s Director of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Access noted, “With over 1,300 members in our Black Wings community I’m thrilled that we can provide access to this exceptional conference that will deliver invaluable networking and educational opportunities.”

Rewriting the Code is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has developed a community of exceptional college women with a passion for technology. RTC empowers women to become the next generation of engineers and tech leaders by providing community, industry education, professional and personal development, and hands-on experience through partnership with companies across North America.

The post JPMorgan Chase Partners with Rewriting the Code to Support College Women Pursuing Technology Degrees appeared first on Rewriting the Code.