Empowering Women to Shape Tech: InfoSci Students at Grace Hopper Celebration

For students from the University of Arizona’s College of Information Science (InfoSci), attending the 2024 Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) wasn’t just an academic milestone—it was a transformative experience that underscored the power of community, representation and belonging in the tech world.

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Thanks to the college’s sponsorship, seven InfoSci master’s students, including Riyanshi Bohra, traveled to Philadelphia this past October to participate in the world’s largest gathering of women in technology. The annual event, which brings together thousands of attendees from across the globe, offers a unique blend of education, networking and inspiration, with more than 400 sessions designed to empower women in tech through innovation and shared experience.

“Receiving support from the College of Information Science made attending GHC possible and incredibly meaningful,” Bohra says. “It wasn’t just about the financial support; it felt like genuine encouragement from my academic community. Knowing that I had their support to represent our college, alongside other talented women in tech from my program, filled me with so much pride and gratitude! It’s a feeling I’ll always carry with me.”

The university’s sponsored students—Riyanshi Bohra, Priyarsha Vallabhaneni, Dhanyapriya Somsasundaram, Venkata Naga Swetha Siripurapu, Maria Nikitha Suresh, Rishabh Bhonsle and Shalon Walter—represented both the Master of Science in Data Science and Master of Science in Information Science. Their participation in GHC highlights the college’s commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in technology by supporting students as they connect with broader professional networks and gain valuable industry insights.
  

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A Transformative Experience for Women in Tech

For Bohra, the Grace Hopper Celebration was far more than a conference. It was a moment of personal and professional awakening. “At GHC, I was inspired and motivated in ways I never imagined,” she says. “The event brought together thousands of women in tech, creating a space full of energy, innovation and a strong sense of community. Being surrounded by so many incredible women and hearing their success stories and the struggles they overcame was beyond empowering. It gave me a push to do something great, like I’d never felt that kind of motivation before.”

One of the most meaningful aspects of the event was the opportunity to connect with recruiters from top tech companies, including Morgan Stanley, Atlassian, Apple and Stripe. These interactions gave the students insights into career pathways and opportunities they might not have otherwise considered.

But perhaps the most lasting impact came from the stories shared by fellow attendees. For Bohra, hearing firsthand about the impact of diversity and inclusion in the industry made a lasting impression: “I learned about the impact of diversity in tech and how crucial it is to have spaces that celebrate and uplift women. Having such a celebration is so important as it reminds us that our contributions matter and that there’s a powerful community behind us. We’re not just in tech—we’re shaping it! Being part of this was a privilege, and I’m truly beyond grateful for the experience.”

Fostering a Culture of Inclusion

By sponsoring students to attend events like the Grace Hopper Celebration, the College of Information Science ensures that its students are well-prepared to contribute to and lead in a diverse and equitable tech world, armed with both cutting-edge knowledge and a deep understanding of the importance of community in driving innovation.
  

The College of Information Science holds a dedicated budget line to support initiatives like this, and we invite donors to help us expand our learners’ access to these transformative experiences.

 
“We are building on our long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion in librarianship and information science through programs like Knowledge River, which supports BIPOC students pursuing careers in these fields,” says Interim Dean Catherine Brooks. “Our goal is to create a more inclusive field of interdisciplinary information science, and sending students to the Grace Hopper Celebration is one way we help achieve that. These opportunities connect women and nonbinary scientists—and their allies—with like-minded technologists from around the world. We don’t just care about diversity across information, data and library sciences, we actively invest in it. The College of Information Science holds a dedicated budget line to support initiatives like this, and we invite donors to help us expand our learners’ access to these transformative experiences.”

As Bohra’s story makes clear, the impact of that support goes far beyond the classroom. It’s felt in moments of connection, in shared stories of resilience and in the realization that women in tech are not only breaking barriers, they’re building a future that reflects the diversity of the world around us.

For those interested in learning more about Bohra’s journey at GHC, her full reflections can be explored on LinkedIn: Attending the Grace Hopper Celebration (GHC) 2024: A Journey of Learning, Networking and Growth.