JonathanSR/Increasing the Ratio of Women In CS at Harvey Mudd College

## Increasing the Ratio of Women In CS at Harvey Mudd College
As I read the article I was intrigued at how similar the approach is, from my viewpoint, of Harvey Mudd College and Turing at creating a comfortable, thriving environment. Being in mod1 and experiencing the “Black and Gold” aka “Foxtrot and Echo” effect first hand, I agree with the article at how it helps people with no coding experience be put at ease. It definitely has made my transition into Turing a lot smoother.  Harvey Mudd provides role models, gives access to alumni to shadow, teaches how to network within the tech community. All these examples have a similar parallel in Turing.

Mud College also has their CS curriculum available online and having a MOOC available for High School teachers/college professors who want to take the initiative and implement change at the grassroots level. With today’s younger generation a curious bystander surfing the web may stumble onto this material, examine it and be interested in taking the next step of getting into a CS program.

What Is fascinating is that Mud College was able to revamp their whole CS program, implement a new style, get rid of the old and it has worked. Data speaks, to have %10 female CS majors to being on track with graduating 45% female CS majors is unheard of. This makes me excited for all the possibilities that are out there for other traditional CS programs to implement a similar style to and get a more diverse talent pool of CS majors, developers, all areas of STEM.  A more diverse talent pool equates to a more diverse workforce which in turn gives that young underrepresented child a role model to look up to. It shows that they too can have a future in tech.

Mudd College has taken great steps in providing women the opportunity to pursue a degree in a non-traditional field. It has to make anyone who is made aware of that fact genuinely happy to see change happening. People now a days talk about changing the status quo, when stories such as Mudd College’s women CS graduating rate surface it’s a cause for celebration. Partnering with other institutes such as Anita Borg and CRA-W just shows how great a program can be when it has morals and values to succeed.
	As I read the article I was intrigued at how similar the approach is, from my viewpoint, of Harvey Mudd College and Turing at creating a comfortable, thriving environment. Being in mod1 and experiencing the “Black and Gold” aka “Foxtrot and Echo” effect first hand, I agree with the article at how it helps people with no coding experience be put at ease. It definitely has made my transition into Turing a lot smoother. Harvey Mudd provides role models, gives access to alumni to shadow, teaches how to network within the tech community. All these examples have a similar parallel in Turing.

	Mud College also has their CS curriculum available online and having a MOOC available for High School teachers/college professors who want to take the initiative and implement change at the grassroots level. With today’s younger generation a curious bystander surfing the web may stumble onto this material, examine it and be interested in taking the next step of getting into a CS program.

	What Is fascinating is that Mud College was able to revamp their whole CS program, implement a new style, get rid of the old and it has worked. Data speaks, to have %10 female CS majors to being on track with graduating 45% female CS majors is unheard of. This makes me excited for all the possibilities that are out there for other traditional CS programs to implement a similar style to and get a more diverse talent pool of CS majors, developers, all areas of STEM. A more diverse talent pool equates to a more diverse workforce which in turn gives that young underrepresented child a role model to look up to. It shows that they too can have a future in tech.

	Mudd College has taken great steps in providing women the opportunity to pursue a degree in a non-traditional field. It has to make anyone who is made aware of that fact genuinely happy to see change happening. People now a days talk about changing the status quo, when stories such as Mudd College’s women CS graduating rate surface it’s a cause for celebration. Partnering with other institutes such as Anita Borg and CRA-W just shows how great a program can be when it has morals and values to succeed.