Building community and careers

By Ada Wu, E27

On Sunday, September 29th, 2024, Tufts' Women in Computer Science (WiCS) student group hosted its eighth annual Women in Tech (WiT) Conference, drawing more than 300 participants, 30 speakers, and $30,000 in sponsorship. The conference offered a diverse range of industry insights, panels, company workshops, and networking opportunities aimed at supporting women, non-binary individuals, and other gender minorities pursuing careers in tech.

This year’s keynote speaker, Brittany Greenfield, founder and CEO of Wabbi, spoke about the value of bringing diverse perspectives to the tech industry. She emphasized that career paths don’t have to follow a straight line, offering encouragement to those navigating their own unique journeys. Many other prominent speakers were also present, including Alicin Williamson, E90, EG21, Tufts alum and Chief Diversity and Culture Officer at Yahoo, and Ashley Conard, Senior Researcher at Microsoft Research in Biomedical Computing.

The conference continues to draw students from nearby universities, including MIT, Northeastern University, and Boston University, along with professionals interested in expanding their knowledge of the industry. A highlight of the day was the career fair, which included Amazon Blink, Ab Initio, and Akamai, giving students the chance to connect with recruiters and explore potential job and internship opportunities.

In addition to the career fair, the conference featured a range of smaller, more specialized sessions in areas such as AI, cybersecurity, DEI in tech, software engineering, product management, and fintech. These sessions fostered open dialogue between students and professionals, covering important topics like career development, navigating the tech industry, and promoting diversity in the workplace.

This year, the WiT team introduced several new initiatives to foster connections and build community among attendees. These included a buddy system to facilitate new relationships, a PlayTours scavenger hunt centered on networking tasks, and a sunglasses-decorating social event, all of which helped create a more engaging and interactive experience.

This year's WiT Executive Co-Chairs were Ada Wu, E27, a sophomore majoring in Computer Science and Cognitive & Brain Science, and Leann Dinh, E26, a junior majoring in Computer Science. Reflecting on the conference, Wu remarked, “It has been a true honor to witness the relationships built throughout the planning process and during the event—whether through the new friendships formed among attendees or the invaluable mentor-mentee connections established between attendees, speakers, and the planning team.”

Behind the scenes

With a team of 37 members, the WiT group spent seven months meticulously planning the event, collaborating with sponsors, speakers, volunteers, and staff to ensure a smooth experience for attendees. Looking ahead to next year’s conference, the team aims to further expand the supportive community they’ve built for women in tech.

Looking forward

Interested in becoming a sponsor or volunteering for next year? Please contact the WiT committee at womenintech.tufts@gmail.com or follow the Instagram account @tuftswit for more information about the Fall 2025 conference.

Acknowledgements

The 2024 conference is sponsored by Postmates, Ab Initio, Amazon Blink, Akamai, Zagaran, Recorded Future, InterSystems, MITRE, Athenahealth, Nomura, Cognex, MathWorks, UKG, OpenEDG, Roux Institute, Jane Street, Progress Software, Advisor360°, Hudson River Trading Rewriting the Code, Tulip, and CyberTrust. With their support, WiT was able to offer a range of opportunities for students and attendees.

The WiT 2024 Planning Team extends its heartfelt thanks to the CS Department, with special appreciation to Assistant Teaching Professor Elyse Cornwall, grants and budgets coordinator Ellen Quirk, department manager Sarah Richmond, and former program administrator Donna Cirelli for their unwavering support.

Learn more about the event at www.tuftswit.com or watch the WIT 2024 Conference Highlights Reel by Adrian Wong, A25.