Computing and Communication Scholarship

2010 Computing and Communication Scholarship For Undergraduate Women

Abstract

This is a $1,000 one-time scholarship for undergraduate women interested in computing or communication. It requires three short essays and a letter of recommendation by June 30th.

Background

Information technologies shape the way we think and organize ourselves. We look at the past, present, and future technology, gaining a better understanding of progress and change. Despite computational advances, basic analyses of written and oral communication remain vitally important. Computers, programming languages, natural languages and mass media all remain important objects of critical study.

"If we are to achieve a richer culture, rich in contrasting values, we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities, and so weave a less arbitrary social fabric, one in which each diverse human gift will find a fitting place."
-- Margaret Mead, Sex and Temperament in Three Primitive Societies, 1935

We believe that integrating diversity into computer and information science, broadening opportunities, and enabling the participation of all are essential to the health and vitality of science and engineering. The Computing and Communication Scholarship is designed with this principle in mind and is specifically focused on undergraduate women and finding links between the liberal arts and computer science.

Female undergraduates in the College of Arts and Sciences or the interdisciplinary Media Studies program are particularly encouraged to apply.

The Scholarship

The Scholarship will be awarded based on the strength of the candidate's academic background and ability to write clearly about the interplay between communication and computation. A group of student finalists will be chosen from the applicant pool.

Phone interviews of the finalists may be used to select the Scholarship recipient. The first-place Scholarship recipient will receive the choice of one of the following:

$1,000 for travel and registration to academic conferences and events (such as Grace Hopper and FCRC), or
A $1,000 salary or supplement for working as an undergraduate researcher (during a semester or over the summer), or
A $1,000 check.

We offer continuing thanks to Dr. Paul Reynolds, Dr. Mary Lou Soffa and the University of Virginia Computer Science Department for making it possible to recognize additional students in previous years.

Eligibility Requirements

Candidates must:

be registered full-time undergraduate students at the University of Virginia for the 2009-2010 academic year who plan to return full-time for the Fall 2010 academic semester, and
maintain a cumulative overall GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

How To Apply

Complete the application form and submit the requested documentation via normal mail. All application materials must be received by Wednesday, June 30, 2010.

Finalists will be notified by the end of August 2010. The scholarship recipient will be selected from the finalists.

Step One:

Complete the application form. You will be asked to fill in the following:

Name
College Email Address
Current Address & Phone Number
Current major or program of emphasis (if any) and projected date of graduation
An updated copy of your resume (1 page max)
Answers to the following short essay questions:
- Describe a significant project you have worked on that touched on computation or communication. If you have worked on an independent research project, please describe that work here. Give an overview of the problem and your approaches to the key technical challenges. If this was a group effort, be sure to specify your individual role and contributions. We are looking for creative thinking; the work you describe need not have been "officially" about computing or communication.
- Merely having results is insufficient -- they must be communicated to others effectively. In practice, people often stop reading something if its introduction is insufficiently gripping. Write an introduction to a technical paper, technical report or technical book chapter. It can describe real work or imagined work that you would like to see done. Most importantly, however, it should be persuasive and convince a general educated audience that the rest of the work is worth reading. Motivation, context and the big picture should be prominent; details should only be hinted at.
- Storytelling is an integral part of the formation of our identities. The stories that our parents and our communities tell us about themselves and the world form our first map of the universe. At some point, we begin to tell our own stories to ourselves and to others. Tell us a story you tell. Your story does not have to be either true or a story you would think to tell anyone but yourself; but the story must be your own, and its telling should have significance to you. Your story should also be significant to a listener who might tell a story about you. Convince us that you are a real person, not a perky automaton. (Question adapted from Susannah Nadler & The University of Chicago)
The suggested count for each question is 400-600 words.
By submitting your application you agree to allow us to use your essays (anonymously) in any way we see fit (e.g., we may post successful essays as guides for future applicants).

Step Two:

Provide us with your official transcript and GPA. You may:

send it to us via normal mail, or
copy the following statement and sign it to indicate your agreement with it (UVa students only):
- I agree to allow the fellowship Selection Committee to look at my official UVa transcript and GPA for the purposes of evaluating my fellowship application.
If you do so and you are a UVa student the Selection Committee will access your transcript internally and you do not have to send a copy.

Step Three:

In addition to completing the application, provide a letter of recommendation from an individual who is qualified to evaluate your accomplishments, preferably on official letterhead. The reference letter should be mailed separately. Please give the following recommendation overview to your letter-writer:

The Scholarship will be awarded based on the strength of a candidate's academic background, potential, and experience or interest in computing or communication. Since letters of recommendation are a key component in evaluating scholarship applicants, we would like to learn more about the applicant from you. Specifically, we'd like information in regards to the applicant's technical abilities, personal qualities, communication skills, and relation to the subject matter. In general we are quite interested in hearing anything you have to tell us about the candidate.
The letter of recommendation should be the standard length (around one page, at most two pages).
Please use official letterhead if possible. Thank you in advance for taking the time to write a recommendation for your 2008 Computing and Communication Scholarship applicant.

We must receive your materials and letter by Tuesday June 30. Please send your application materials, transcripts and recommendation letter to:

Computing and Communication Scholarship Program
c/o Dr. Westley Weimer
Department of Computer Science
School of Engineering, University of Virginia
151 Engineer's Way, P.O. Box 400740
Charlottesville, VA. 22904-4740

UVa students can also deliver materials to the Computer Science department in Olsson Hall, care of Westley Weimer.

2009 Results

Budget restrictions limited the number of students we could recognize in 2009.

1st Place: Rebecca Zapfel.

2008 Results

1st Place: Sara Alspaugh.
2nd Place: Francesca Slade.
3rd Place: Rachel Miller.
Finalists: Jessica Tabacca and Rebecca Zapfel.

2007 Results

1st Place: Erin Carson.
2nd Place: Christine Feeney.
3rd Place: Rachel Lathbury.
Finalists: Sara Alspaugh, Sarah Foley, and Caroline Normile.

Scholarship Promotional Flyer

Frequently-Asked Questions

If you have additional questions, please contact Dr. Westley Weimer.

Can international students apply for the scholarship?
Yes. If you meet our criteria for scholarship eligibility, you can apply regardless of your citizenship.

I am neither a Computer Science nor a Computer Engineering major. Can I apply?
Yes. Non-CS majors are specifically encouraged to apply!

I am a first-year student who really hasn't done any major projects in college yet. Can I write about a significant project I had in high school?
Yes. The project itself does not have to be technical (e.g., it might involve volunteering at a local kindergarten) -- we're more concerned with what you say about it.

This is a large amount of work for a small Scholarship!
The amount you receive from this Scholarship is comparable to what you would get by being a finalist in the Google Anita Borg scholarship. However, this scholarship requires less work and is likely to attract fewer participants.

Does winning this mean I will have to become a CS major?
No.

How will I know if my application has been received?
We will send you an email notification.

Will you sell my address to mailing lists?
No. We swear on our honor that we will safeguard your privacy as if it were our own. We hate spam as well. We will not transfer or publicly display your email or postal address.

I'm just a sophomore and I'm not even sure of my major. Do I have any hope of winning this?
Yes! This is not a scholarship competition for overproductive graduate student researchers. Instead, it is specifically aimed at raising awareness of computing technology in the liberal arts and of the importance of communication in the computational sciences.

Application essays often feel "hollow" or "deceptive" -- in order to get the prize, I feel that I must put forth a perfectly-polished front that reveals little of my true character or aspirations. I'd like to be more direct, but I'm afraid that it will hurt my competitiveness.
To paraphrase Lee Coffin, dean of admissions at Tufts, we would rather read essays with voice than something that is polished but predictable. Convince us that you are witty and that you communicate well.

Is this one of those Scholarships where I need to demonstrate strong "community service" or "leadership involvement" or some-such?
No. This Scholarship is about getting undergraduate women interested in pursuing academic careers that involve computing and communication. There are many other scholarships with strong leadership and service components.

Why only one letter of recommendation? What if multiple people know me?
We have set the requirement at one letter of recommendation so that students just beginning their academic careers (who have not yet had time to work with multiple faculty members or advisers) will not be de facto excluded. Pick one person to represent you.

Is this an "every year" Scholarship or a one time event?
The Scholarship winners will each receive a single prize (once, for one year). If the scholarship competition goes well and generates interest it will be offered again next year and a new winner will be chosen.

Can I apply twice?
You may not apply again if you have earned any money from this scholarship. If you have entered previously and not won, or entered previously and been a non-winning finalist, you may enter again.