The tech industry should reflect the the diversity of our community. It’s a core value that Grand Circus stands behind in everything we do. With just 26% of computing jobs being filled by women, we’re always looking for creative solutions to the problem.
Last year, we were proud to launch our inaugural DEVELOP(her) coding bootcamp. It gave 19 women an opportunity at free tech training and assisted them in finding a career after graduation. This year, we were proud to award our first round of DEVELOP(her) scholarships, which provides full-tuition funding to a select number of ladies and can be used toward our daytime coding bootcamps.
Four amazingly talented women looking to make an impact in the tech industry were awarded this opportunity. As they continue to tackle their coding bootcamps, we wanted to share their journeys as they develop the skills they need for an exciting new career in tech! In order to learn more about their experiences and motivations for taking a coding bootcamp, we caught up with our scholars for the first installment of our DEVELOP(her) Scholarship Spotlight.
Meet the 2017 DEVELOP(her) Scholarship Recipients
Lhea J. Copeland
What did you do before the bootcamp?
I, Lhea J. Copeland (@LheaJLove), am a poet-novelist-philosopher-mother and now, a developer. I earned a Bachelors in Philosophy from the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. I spent ten years working in fundraising, sales and marketing for Nature, AT&T, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Sphinx Organization, Inc. In 2014, I earned a Project Management (PMP) certification.
I always wanted to become a developer, a Black-Girls-Code-er, a Women-in-Tech-programmer, because I love science and technology. And let’s face it, I love “the internets.”
Why do you want to become a developer?
I have been blogging quite actively since the 1990s, and I have decided that it is time to be more than a user, more than a content creator. It’s time to create; it’s time to build.
What does being awarded the scholarship mean to you and your community?
My goal is to help end the educational gap and the technological gap between Black folks and the world. I can help break the school-to-prison pipeline. Being awarded the DEVELOP(her) scholarship means that I can be a part of the solution. I am immensely grateful for this opportunity to change the world.
Lydia Latocki
What did you do before the bootcamp?
Prior to Grand Circus Java Bootcamp, I earned a BFA from College for Creative Studies, and worked on the Creative side of local advertising agencies. Most recently, I specialized in helping small businesses develop marketing strategies to grow their customer base and implemented various print and online solutions, including SEO/SEM solutions.
Why did you want to join a coding bootcamp?
I am incredibly honored to be selected as a DEVELOP(her) Scholarship recipient for the April 2017 Java Bootcamp series. Since its inception in 2013, I have watched GC grow, attended several workshops and found the training model more realistic for me personally than going back to school daytime.
What does being awarded the scholarship mean to you and your community?
This scholarship is my enabler. Being a part of this dedicated, intense environment, centered on teaching and helping students be successful is truly a gift. To be surrounded by knowledgeable teachers and GC graduates, the GC staff, and eager students who also want to be a part of the change offers a boost and support system I could not experience from independent online learning. I’m ready and excited to participate in this program to advance Women in Technology!
Theresa Skoniecsny
What did you do before the bootcamp?
After spending over a decade in corporate America, I learned a wealth of business administration talents and developed a superior interpersonal skill set. While working within a large organization, I was grateful to a valuable resource within the group improving cultural, environmental and/or social-ecosystems goals. These experiences have significantly led to my relentless passion and appreciation around community enriching opportunities.
Why do you want to become a developer?
After assisting management with building a user-friendly database and improving customer satisfaction, I was obsessed with process improvement, development and resolving problems. I realized my common-sense approach, attention to detail and determination to find the root-cause along with the flow of operations kept nagging at me. Both my intellect, as well as my passion to engage with others was not satisfied with the status-quo. The critical skills desired within the workforce need cultivated and require daily execution. A satisfying career involves risk, persistence and passion. I will forever push myself to my limits, grow within my professional bandwidth and dedicate my talents to improve others experiences using technological equipment or services. Becoming a developer will maximize my personal and professional attributes, while connecting to me the community and organizations I want to passionately serve.
What does being awarded the scholarship mean to me and my community?
I dream of bringing big data from “up in the clouds” to ground level. While improving hands-on capabilities, personal significance and social re-connection capabilities, I feel my imagination and connections within the community can create something big. Being awarded the DEVELOP(her) scholarship is a true honor. With this privilege, I am devoted and sincerely devoted to encouraging others, bridging demographic divides, improving diverse initiatives, and further educating or empowering women, youth, the elderly, or any other segment. With sincere appreciation to Grand Circus and Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation for selecting me, I am eager to dive in and develop.
Shathar Campbell
What did you do before the bootcamp?
Before entering the bootcamp, I was working as an office manager at an IT Support company. I was handling the administrative duties for the office, a role I have played for several years at a few offices. I always enjoyed the companies I worked for but I felt like I wasn’t tapping into my potential. Since being an office manager means handling so many miscellaneous tasks, I worried I would never be able to have a skill I could be an expert at.
Why do you want to be a developer?
I lived in the San Francisco Bay area for 5 years and lived in the heart of Silicon Valley. I saw the high demand of IT jobs there and how everyone working in the IT field came from different walks of life. It made me curious so I started to code online and looked into coding bootcamps. Unfortunately, I wasn’t in a position to enroll in a costly bootcamp there, and although I enjoyed coding, I had to focus on being able to take care of my children first.
What does being awarded the scholarship mean to you and your community?
Being awarded this scholarship is such an incredible opportunity. I can finally pursue my dream of becoming a developer and put my needs/wants first! To be able to have a job I enjoy and provide for my family in a field that is always on demand is such an amazing feeling. I want to show my Chaldean community that it’s okay to venture out and pursue a career other than what your parents recommend/politely insist! I hope I can be a good resource for my community and show them that tech is a great field to be in.
What an fantastic group! Check back in the coming weeks as our DEVELOP(her) scholars share more of their bootcamp adventures!