April Newsletter 2026
Hello WiCS Students,
The Winter Semester is nearing its end! We hope the month of April brings about immense motivation and productivity to power through the exam season! April also brings about more volunteer and event opportunities for students to attend as stressbusters and receive much needed breaks during this stressful time. We’re looking forward to seeing you take advantage of these unique learning and networking experiences.
WiCS Events Overview:
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WiCS Con 2026 | May 13th
Little WiCS Events Overview:
Other Opportunities:
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WiCS Con 2026: Call for Volunteers | May
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Undergraduate Research Awards | Application Deadline: May 5th
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Jane Street Summer Opportunities
WiCS Events:
WiCS CON 2026
WiCS Con is a 1-day conference for women and gender-diverse students interested in computer science and tech.
The conference program includes sessions on hot topics in computing (tech talks, workshops), the hiring process (resume critiques, interview prep, negotiating contracts), careers in computing (Break into ….), panels and mentoring circles, and more. Sessions are led by engineers and mentors from high-tech companies, WiCS, and students. WiCS Con is open to UWaterloo women and gender-diverse students in computing, as well as local community members and high school students!
Date: Wednesday, May 13th, 2026
Time: 10AM - 6PM
Location: University of Waterloo, Davis Centre, 1st Floor
Register Here
Little WiCS Events:
Other Opportunities:
WiCS Con 2026 CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
WiCS Con is a 1-day conference for women and gender-diverse students interested in computer science and tech. It is taking place, May 13th, and we need all the help we can get for running a great event! This call is for anyone interested in being a volunteer for WiCS Con, including helping with setup and logistics or being the student ambassador for one of our sponsoring companies! Please fill out the form below if you are interested! Some of the tasks you may be asked to help with include:
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Panelists for panels on co-op, on university life
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Serving as student ambassador for a company’s session!
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Helping in an interactive workshop for high school students!
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Logistics
You can indicate your interest and availability on the form!
Date: May 13th
Time: 10:00AM - 6:00PM
Location: DC 1st Floor
Undergraduate Research Awards (URA)
The NSERC Undergraduate Student Research Award (USRA) is a financial award that allows outstanding undergraduate students to work with a faculty member in an academic research environment for a semester. USRA recipients take part in a research project in an area of Computer Science, under the direction and guidance of a supervisor. The type of work will vary depending on the supervisor, the project, and the student's background.
The Mathematics Undergraduate Research Award (MURA) Program is an undergraduate research award program sponsored by the Faculty of Mathematics. This award provides experience that nurtures an interest in research careers and mathematics experience for undergraduate students with financial support during a full-time, on-campus or remote position for 16 weeks.
For more information on: USRA
For more information on: MURA
Application Deadline: May 5th
Jane Street Summer Opportunities
Jane Street is planning a few events this summer in NYC, the Bay Area, and Chicago, and would love to see everyone there. Please fill out and share the form listed below to indicate interest in staying in the loop with future event details and information.
WiCS Innovation Fund
The WiCS Innovation Fund supports student-initiated activities such as hackathons, workshops, conferences, and more that uplift women and non-binary students in computing. WiCS still has funding available for one Winter 2026 initiative and is currently seeking one Spring 2026 initiative to award one Innovation Fund grant. If you are interested, email wics@uwaterloo.ca with a brief explanation of the use (e.g., organizing an event, attending a conference or hackathon) and what you hope to gain.
DISCLAIMER:
The Fund supports future events only (not past events)
For the foreseeable future, WiCS funds cannot be used for travel to the United States to attend a DEI event.
WiCS Study Room
WiCS study room is the perfect study spot, with features like:
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Full-Size Refrigerator
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Microwave
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Formal study space (2 worktables and 8 chairs)
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Informal study space (a high-backed sofa and stools that can serve as additional seating or as side tables).
To claim YOUR study spot
Resources
WiCS Feedback Form Whether you have concerns, suggestions, or ideas, we want to hear from you. Express yourself openly without revealing your identity. We are here to listen.
Invite a friend to subscribe to this newsletter!
Follow the WiCS Instagram Account
Follow the WiCS LinkedIn Account
Visit the WiCS (undergrad) Website
That’s all for this month. We hope to see you at one of our events!
Manya Govindugari
WiCS Event Facilitator
Women in Computer Science
University of Waterloo