The Grace Hopper Celebration 2021!

What is the Grace Hopper Celebration?

The Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing is a series of conferences designed to bring the research and career interests of women in computing to the forefront. It is the world’s largest gathering of women in technology. In GHC, there are keynote speeches, workshops, competitions, track meetups, the open-source contribution day, career and sponsor booths, internship/job interviews, networking events, after-hours and more! The event is organized annually by AnitaB.org and this year (2021), it was held virtually due to the pandemic.

How to attend?

Any woman interested in tech and related fields is eligible to attend GHC! You can buy tickets to attend the conference online, and apply for scholarships to attend as well. I applied for and won a student scholarship! Its application started around April, and it was quite extensive. It required the following -

• two short paragraphs to gauge our interest in attending vGHC, what we wanted out of the conference, and our community involvement.

• a letter of recommendation by our college professor

• detailed CV

• complete applicant information

Tips for Applicants

For GHC, the essays should be to the point and personalized. Answer exactly what they have asked you, and ensure that you show them how much attending their conference will help you. This will require some prior research on your part - what the conference is, what kind of opportunities you are looking for (job/internships/colleges), the theme of the year and sessions that could be held - and try to incorporate these things into your essay. Showing your passion for tech (in some specific area instead of generalized) and what you could bring to the discussion will also be good. They also want people who can encourage others to attend as well so that they have a wider audience, so talk about your community involvement and how you can spread the word about GHC!

Your letter of recommendation matters! Try to ask a professor who has taught you before and knows you well enough to write a personalized LOR.

It took me around a month to complete the application fully. Results were announced in July, to attend the conference in September! I was thrilled to be selected :)

My Experience at vGHC 2021!

I attended my first ever Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing this year, 2021. The theme for vGHC'21 was #DareTo..., a rallying cry to challenge ourselves and all registrants to celebrate the daring achievements and diverse innovations that we have achieved...and will achieve! This year’s celebration was from September 27 to October 1, 2021, and was conducted on a number of platforms. We were informed about the daily schedules, agenda, and all the opportunities in store for us via newsletters on email and an official group on Slack! We uploaded our resumes on a common resume database which was accessed by recruiters who reached out for direct interviews! There was also a sponsor booth to connect with hundreds of sponsors directly. I already had an internship for summer 2022, so I used the opportunity to connect with university sponsors for graduate admissions.

The timings of the events were at night for me (daytime in the US). I learned so much from the inspiring sessions and the networking events were very fun too! Some of the events I attended were -

• Pre-GHC Virtual Networking and Beyond, with amazing speaker Alaina G. Levine

• Pre-GHC Meet the Sponsor Series - Redhat, Epic Games

• The GHC Scholars Lounge

• Women of Color in Technical Roles Lounge

• Track Meetup - Data Science

• Active Session: Wellbeing at Work: Interns and New Grads

• 1:1 meetings with sponsor universities including Stanford, Brown, UMich and lots more!

• vGHC '21 Celebration #DareToDance

• AnitaB.org On-Demand Sessions

There were SO MANY more sessions, we had to choose which ones to attend according to our interests. The sessions were diverse and dived into each aspect of technology, including tackling the issue of gender representation in technology. It was really amazing getting to meet so many women who are like me, yet come from such different backgrounds. Senior leaders in the industry were present too, and they gave us invaluable advice.

The GHC scholarship also included a Premium Membership with AnitaB.org! As a Premium Member, you can continue the GHC experience 365 days a year with access to content from industry experts, weekly webinars about emerging advancements in computing, and the ability to make lasting connections with mentors and a global community of women technologists.

How do I make the most of the conference?

The conference is expected to take place next year in September. Since min was virtual, I'll be talking in those terms. Here are some tips for the attendees next year!

Before the conference

1. Update your LinkedIn profile! Everyone looks at it. It's the first impression you will make even before you meet anyone. So update all your details, and mention that you're attending vGHC in your headline!

2. Submit to the resume database ASAP. Sponsor companies and recruiters start looking out for potential candidates early on, so be sure to catch their eye! If they like your resume, they will directly email you for setting up an interview, so be prepared for that as well!

3. Do your research! Find out which companies/universities you want to know more about and talk to. Familiarize yourself with the agenda, and mark the sessions you are interested in. I would suggest adding events to your calendar to help you visualize everything better!

During the conference

1. Network with people and be active on chats and groups. Connect with people on Linkedin, Slack, Discord, and be alert about notifications sent by the team to make sure you do not miss anything!

2. Impress! Dress well, keep your cameras on and wear headphones to ensure clear audio. Be interactive in conversation to stand out, and answer questions thrown out to the crowd!

3. Visit sponsor booths and register your interest. This way they have you in their talent database and will reach out if they find any opportunity that is fit for you!

4. Schedule 1:1 meetings with companies and universities. This is the best way to learn more about them and connect with people who can help you get where you want to be.

Ending Notes

It is incredible to see how women are paving their way in technology today. As a minority in the computing field, I thought it would be really exciting for me to be surrounded by so many amazing women who share the same passion for technology. And I was not disappointed!

Grace Hopper was the perfect opportunity for us women to take a look at the bigger picture, celebrate each other and share the lessons we have learned through our diverse experiences. It is a place that fosters mentorship, which is vital in professional growth, with respect to both career guidance and technical knowledge. It is also a great opportunity to connect with universities and apply for summer internships that help gain hands-on experience in computing. Most importantly, it opens up pathways to form long-lasting, meaningful associations with women from different fields - students, professionals and leaders alike.

Thank you AnitaB.org for the wonderful opportunity! I hope I can attend next year as well and I would recommend everyone to do the same!