What is WiCS Orientation?
WiCS Orientation is a welcome event for first-year students to learn how to improve their university experience. As as women and gender diverse individuals in tech, it is especially important to have a network of technical peers whose experiences are like one’s own, who have similar interests and goals, and with whom one can vent frustrations and celebrate successes. Get ready to kick-start your journey in Computer Science with our upcoming WICS Orientation! This is more than just an event - it’s an opportunity to connect, learn, and grow.
- Connect with like-minded peers and gain insights from upper-year students. Our event is a platform for you to start building your network within the CS community from day one.
- Learn from the personal stories and experiences shared by our speakers. They’ll provide you with inspirational and relevant insights that could guide you through your own CS journey.
- Grow by absorbing the wealth of information available. From the “how-to’s” of co-op and clubs to other essential topics, we’ve got you covered.
And let’s not forget - there will be great food in a welcoming environment!
About this year's WiCS Orientation:
WiCS wants to celebrate you! We believe that having an inclusive learning and working environment in the School of Computer Science is the key to success. We want to help foster this environment by making this a fantastic first-year orientation. Celebrate with us on September 6th by connecting with other women and gender diverse (including transgender, non-binary, and gender fluid) first-year CS, SE, CFM, and CSBBA students, listening to talks from current undergraduates, and enjoying swag and food!!
This year's orientation will include:
- Networking (meet the people in your program!)
- Mentoring (navigating first year, study-life balance, academic advice, clubs and societies)
- Technical Resources (succeeding in co-op)
- Food (afternoon snack and dinner)
- Bring your own water bottle!
WiCS Orientation 2025
Thank you to everyone who joined us for WiCS 2025 Orientation! We’re looking forward to an amazing year and can’t wait to see you at future events!
WiCS 2025 Orientation Schedule!
| Time | Event | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 14:00 | Registration | |
| 14:30 | Introduction - WiCS | Joanne Atlee - Director of WiCS, Professor of CS / SE |
| 14:50 | Lessons Learned about Navigating First Year | Mariya Turetska - 3rd year Software Engineering |
| 15:05 | How to Succeed Academically | Momina Butt - 3rd year Computing and Finance Management |
| 15:15 | Use your Resources! | Erin Walshaw - 2nd year Computer Science |
| 15:25 | The Importance of a Balanced School Life | Lauren Rowe - 4th year Software Engineering |
| 15:35 | Imposter Syndrome coming into First Year | Lily Liu - 2nd year Software Engineering |
| 15:45 | Q&A | |
| 15:55 | SNACK BREAK | |
| 16:30 | Getting your First-Co-op Placement | Padena Rasouli-Baghban - 4th year Software Engineering |
| 16:40 | How to Have a Successful Co-op Term | Imane Yacoubi - 3rd year Computer Science |
| 16:50 | Co-op Q&A | |
| 17:00 | How to Start on New Projects | Avery Lin - 2025 Alumnae Computer Science |
| 17:10 | Finding your Academic Niche | Bhavika Dindyal - 3rd year Computing and Finance Management |
| 17:20 | Getting Involved in Extracurriculars | Caroline Huang - 2nd year Computer Science |
| 17:30 | Networking | Madeline Pinto - 4th year Computer Science |
| 17:40 | WiCS Undergraduate Committee -- what we do, what resources are available to the students, getting involved with WiCS | Yiyan Huang, Yuyeon Kim - Co-chairs of WiCS Undergrads, Fall'25 |
| 17:50 | Q&A | |
| 18:00 | DINNER + Panel on What I Wish I Knew In First Year |