Mac IT Scholars Program
If you are an U.S. citizen and plan to major in Computer Science (CS) or minor in CS and major in another scientific field, there is a new scholarship opportunity that may interest you.
For an overview, please see the press release describing the program. Scholarships will be available for Spring, 2010 and will be renewable each year.
How to apply: Fill out application by December 15, 2009.
Please download the Mac IT Scholars Application, which is a Microsoft Word file. Fill it out, and return it by emailing it to Libby Shoop, shoop@macalester.edu.
If you are selected to recieve the scholarship, you will be notified. If you accpet the scholarship, then your account with financial aid will be reimbursed to reflect the amount you are awarded. This reimbursement can be in the form of refunded payments or cancelled loans. The awards will vary between $1900.00 and $5000.00 annually, depending on the number of applicants and commenserate with financial need.
Some important restrictions
Because this program is sponsored by a US government organization, the National Science Foundatation, and we trying to generate interest in Computer Science, we have some resrtictions. The Eligibility Requirements are:
- You must be a U.S. citizen.
- You must have declared a Computer Science major or minor, OR in the case of first-year students or sophomores, demonstrate your interest by completing a CS course or writing of your intentions in the accompanying application form.
- You must have demonstrated financial need (in almost all cases, this scholarship will cover the work-study portion of your financial aid package, giving you time to participate in the Mac IT Scholars Program activities).
For more information, contact:
Professor Libby Shoop, shoop@macalester.edu
Professor Susan Fox, fox@macalester.edu
Computer Science Activities for Mac IT Scholars and Friends
As part of the Mac IT Scholars program, we will be offering several activities for students interested in computer science. These will include:
Preparing and Presenting a 'CS Roadshow'
During the school year, a group of interested students, along with Professors Fox and Shoop, will develop a presentation to give to middle school students or high school students. You will design these presentations to be interactive and get the kids excited about the possibilities that abound in computer science-related careers, and also what fun comuter science can be. We plan to start a 1-credit tutorial course each semester where we will plan these road shows.
Ideas and materials to help us get started can be found on the Google Group for CS Road Shows.
Internships
Under this program, students are strongly encouraged to complete at least one internship and those who do will participate in a CS Internship experience discussion, where students and their supervisors from industry or non-profit organizations will share their exeriences with new students who have not yet had an intership experience, so they know what to expect.
Research Experiences
We will have CS research opportunities available for the Mac IT Scholars. Some will be on campus, and others will be arranged at other locations.
Career Panels
We will conduct Panel Discussions with Mac Alums and other people from local industry who will provide insight on working in industry.
Peer Tutoring
For those students interested in teaching as a career, we will offer special preceptorships in which you get deeply involved in the activities of the course and actively help students in and out of the classroom.
In the News
March 24, 2009 was Ada Lovelace Day, celebrating the first woman programmer.
Useful and Interesting Links
MentorNet is a great opportunity to get helpful advice from someone in the trenches. Check it out!
Women in Technology International is a group whose "mission is to empower women worldwide to achieve unimagined possibilities and transformations through technology, leadership and economic prosperity."