Girls Who Code

JUN 23, 2015 | US

Summer Immersion Program
Washington, DC
June 24 - August 12, 2015

To empower more young women to pursue degrees and careers in Science,Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields, BSA | The Software Alliance, along with Lockheed Martin and Georgetown University sponsored the Washington, DC, area’s inaugural Girls Who Code Summer Immersion Program. The Girls Who Code program, which kicked off June 24, brought 60 young women from throughout the DC region to Georgetown University’s downtown campus for seven weeks of intensive instruction in computing skills, ranging from mobile app development to web design to robotics.

In addition to learning to code, students heard from influential industry leaders and government officials inside the classroom, and took field trips around DC to meet with leaders in technology and government. The Summer Immersion Program also included informal mentorship opportunities focusing on career and educational development, where students were paired with leading female executives from the DC area.

BSA and Girls Who Code Featured on PBS:

Program Highlights:

	June 24, 2015 Open House We kicked off the inaugural Girls Who Code DC program with an event at the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies for the girls and their families.
	July 1, 2015 Speaker: Fred Humphries, VP, U.S. Government Affairs, Microsoft Fred Humphries stopped by the Girls Who Code classroom to share his experiences and learn about their curriculum.
	July 1, 2015 Speaker: Anne Kornblut, Assoc. Editor, Washington Post Anne Kornblut visited the Girls Who Code classroom to talk about her career path and answer questions from the girls.
	July 7, 2015 Speaker: Rich Rothberg, SVP & General Counsel, Dell Rich Rothberg spoke to the girls about his career path and the importance of having faith in one’s abilities. Dell also provided the laptops the girls are using this summer. Photo Gallery
	July 8, 2015 Congressional Field Trip The BSA classroom visited Capitol Hill to talk about STEM, meeting with a number of Congresswomen, including Senator Tammy Baldwin, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, and Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Photo Gallery
	July 22, 2015 Speaker: Dr. Phyllis Schneck, Under Secretary for Cybersecurity, Department of Homeland Security After learning about cybersecurity issues earlier in the day, the girls were enthralled with Dr. Phyllis Schneck’s presentation about the importance of privacy and security when developing technologies.
	July 24, 2015 Mentorship Day The girls met with a number of female role models from across the tech industry to learn about the wide variety of technical career paths that they might pursue. The day ended with an ice cream social sponsored by Microsoft. Photo Gallery
	July 28, 2015 White House Visit At the White House, the girls were inspired by some of the top women in tech and government, including speakers from the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the White House Council on Women and Girls, and the White House Office of Public Engagement. Valerie Jarrett stopped by for a surprise visit! Photo Gallery
	August 12, 2015 Graduation Ceremony The seven-week program came to an end with a ceremony held at Georgetown University. Michelle Lee, director of the United States Patent and Trade Office, delivered an inspiring keynote address. The girls presented their final projects, including apps, games, and a moisture-sensing plant-watering device! The girls then received certificates of completion and celebrated with friends and family. Congratulations to all of the participants! Photo Gallery