CS/SE External Mentorship Program for Underrepresented Students

Historically, underrepresented groups (e.g., females, African-American, Hispanic/Latinx etc.), in computer science (CS) fields face unique structural and social barriers, which create differences in opportunities to obtain education and pursue a career in this vital field. For example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects CS-related jobs to grow much faster than those of other domains (e.g., 24% increase in software developer positions are projected by 2026, resulting in approximately 1.4 million more software development jobs than applicants who can fill them). However, only a small percentage of CS bachelor’s degrees in the United States are earned by underrepresented groups (e.g., women earn 18% of CS bachelor’s degrees).

To support underrepresented groups pursuing a CS/ SE degree, the Department of Computer Science at BGSU offers a unique mentorship opportunity that allows students to engage with an industry mentor to learn about the challenges and practices related to real-world workplaces.