Help Fund CS Kickstart 2023!

Summary

CS KickStart is an intensive one-week program at UC Berkeley designed to help incoming freshmen women explore computer science in hopes of recruiting them into the field. We were able to launch CS KickStart for the 11th consecutive year in August of 2022 and recruited 95 participants. In 2022, our program included a variety of workshops in Python, Web Development, Electrical Engineering, and Data Science. We also hosted an amazing PhD student Jennifer Grannen and faculty speaker John Denero. The program had 3 field trips: a community-building experience with the Oakland Athletics, a tour and panel with SAP Academy for Engineering, and a tour and Q+A with Stitch Fix.

Website 

https://cs-kickstart.berkeley.edu/

Program Findings 

• 95% felt more prepared to take their first computer science course at UC Berkeley. 
• 96% felt CS KickStart had a positive effect on their confidence to pursue computer science. 
• 99% felt they were beginning their freshman year with friends who are also interested in computer science. 
• 99% felt CS KickStart gave them a better sense of what computer science is. 
• 100% felt comfortable and welcomed among their peers and staff in CS Kickstart.

Testimonials 

• CS Kickstart helped me realize that I have a place in CS! It gave me the confidence to pursue something I once thought would be closed off to me. 
• I would highly recommend CS KickStart for building a lifelong community of female peers and learning about CS at the same time! 
• CS Kickstart really deserves the Kickstart part of its name. I feel so ready with the information I've learned about Cal and the friends I've gained for the next semester. 
• CS Kickstart is a great way for incoming freshmen to familiarize themselves with the campus, Berkeley culture, and enter college with a community of female coders! 
• CS Kickstart was a great way to meet other like-minded, inspiring, hard-working incoming female freshman. Through CS Kickstart, I was able to build a support group of great friends before the start of the year.
• This was a super valuable experience, and I absolutely loved getting to experience campus for a week before most first year students, and meet all these supportive women. The industry panel and field trips were also super fun and insightful, and I got great advice from women in the industry! 
• From familiarizing us with campus to introductions to programming, data science, and more, this was truly a great KICKSTART to our time at Berkeley. I've found a support group I can rely on during my time at this college, and I'm truly grateful for this opportunity. 
• CS Kickstart is a great place to start off the school year—regardless of your programming experience or the number of people you know coming in. It's worth it.