Mission Statement

We are dedicated to building a community of technical women and their allies at the University of Rhode Island and beyond. We offer a network of support and encouragement for all women pursuing careers in Computer Science and in related fields. We aim to provide service opportunities, cultivate professional development, initiate a connection between peers, and foster innovation to create future leaders in technology. We strive to promote awareness of gender issues and create opportunities to achieve equality and establish a climate for discussion. It is our hope to enlist all genders and disciplines to help us achieve our goals.

Core Values

Service

Giving back to the community whether it be reaching out to young children, peers, or giving back to the URI community through projects revolving around areas of technology.

Professional Development

Providing career exploration, discussion of women’s experiences in the technology field, and career preparation techniques.

Innovation

Exposing members to technology and topics of computer science that are not normally discussed in class.

Empowerment

Creating an environment for women and allies to acknowledge their own strengths.

Community/Support/Social 

Creating a support system for members to rely on. Whether it be for questions about classes or in times of hardships. 

History

The Society for Women in Computing was founded in September of 2018. Senior, Alli Cheney, began investigating similar clubs at other universities and made the decision to bring the Society for Women in Computing to URI. Along the way, she found her Vice President, Lauren Black, and together they strived to make all their meetings revolve around four themes: professional development, empowerment, service, and innovation. 

In September 2019, Lily Sisouvong picked up where Alli left off, hoping to continue the hard work that Alli and Lauren put into creating SWIC, and continued to make all the meetings revolve around our four original themes as well as a fifth, community and support. The same happened in 2020 as Victoria Ryan took over as President for both our 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 years. They implemented meetings that allowed time for members to bond and become a community. With the help of their executive boards, they looked forward to accomplishing these goals.

Now, in September 2023, our SWiC E-Board is more determined than ever to continue SWiC’s legacy and provide a space for women and their allies to thrive in the computing community. Michaela Healy now serves as our President, with Christina Vangel as Vice President, Riley Maguire as Treasurer, and Lily Nguyen as Secretary.

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