St. Bonaventure Hopes Girls Day Will
Spark Interest in Computer Science
St. Bonaventure University’s Department of Computer Science is sponsoring its ninth annual Girls Day event beginning at 8:45 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 13.
The participants will be sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade girls from about 15 area schools. Students interested in attending should contact their guidance counselors or teachers. The deadline for schools to sign up is Oct. 22. The facilities are limited, so registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about computer-generated animation, web page creation, movie making, photography, robots, encryption and DigiQuits. St. Bonaventure alumni, undergraduates, faculty and women in the computer science field will be presenting to assist with four hands-on workshops.
Other St. Bonaventure students will act as guides and chaperones for the participants.
Dr. Suzanne Watson, former lecturer in computer science at St. Bonaventure, founded the Girls Day event after reading about the decreased interest in the sciences among middle-school aged girls. Dr. Dalton Hunkins has taken the reins of the program since Watson’s retirement this past year.
“In the years past, the graduating classes in computer science had a nice mix of men and women and, in fact, there were a few classes where the balance was in favor of the women,” Hunkins said. “This has not been true in recent years and it is disturbing to have computer science classes with only one or two females when gender is not an issue with respect to capabilities.”
Hunkins said the goal is the same now as it has always been, “providing the participants an opportunity to see technology through the eyes of woman working in the field and, in turn, leave with a feeling that ‘I can also do it.’”
Graduates of the computer science program presenting workshops are Barbara McNally, ’92; Barbara Snyderman, ’92; Karen Reynolds, ’03; Angela Colomaio, ’08; and Angela Wood, ’09.
Other workshop presenters include Kristen Keenan, Denise Goodman, Karla Bright, Ann Tenglund and Dr. Anne Foerst, associate professor of computer science.
“One of the main points of this event is for the girls to meet women who are professionals in the computing field and, in turn, come in contact with role models,” said Hunkins.
The event will conclude at 3 p.m. after a panel discussion with workshop presenters.
“The Girls Day event is important; it provides not only an opportunity for the computer science department and the university to show off but, more important, it gives us an opportunity to encourage young girls that math, science and technology are areas that are also for them,” said Hunkins.
The participants will be sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade girls from about 15 area schools. Students interested in attending should contact their guidance counselors or teachers. The deadline for schools to sign up is Oct. 22. The facilities are limited, so registration is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Students will have the opportunity to learn about computer-generated animation, web page creation, movie making, photography, robots, encryption and DigiQuits. St. Bonaventure alumni, undergraduates, faculty and women in the computer science field will be presenting to assist with four hands-on workshops.
Other St. Bonaventure students will act as guides and chaperones for the participants.
Dr. Suzanne Watson, former lecturer in computer science at St. Bonaventure, founded the Girls Day event after reading about the decreased interest in the sciences among middle-school aged girls. Dr. Dalton Hunkins has taken the reins of the program since Watson’s retirement this past year.
“In the years past, the graduating classes in computer science had a nice mix of men and women and, in fact, there were a few classes where the balance was in favor of the women,” Hunkins said. “This has not been true in recent years and it is disturbing to have computer science classes with only one or two females when gender is not an issue with respect to capabilities.”
Hunkins said the goal is the same now as it has always been, “providing the participants an opportunity to see technology through the eyes of woman working in the field and, in turn, leave with a feeling that ‘I can also do it.’”
Graduates of the computer science program presenting workshops are Barbara McNally, ’92; Barbara Snyderman, ’92; Karen Reynolds, ’03; Angela Colomaio, ’08; and Angela Wood, ’09.
Other workshop presenters include Kristen Keenan, Denise Goodman, Karla Bright, Ann Tenglund and Dr. Anne Foerst, associate professor of computer science.
“One of the main points of this event is for the girls to meet women who are professionals in the computing field and, in turn, come in contact with role models,” said Hunkins.
The event will conclude at 3 p.m. after a panel discussion with workshop presenters.
“The Girls Day event is important; it provides not only an opportunity for the computer science department and the university to show off but, more important, it gives us an opportunity to encourage young girls that math, science and technology are areas that are also for them,” said Hunkins.
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