This summer, more than 750 students from across the U.S. participated in 12 weeks of free computer science training through CodePath, a nonprofit dedicated to increasing diversity in tech by transforming educational opportunities for underrepresented students.
The 2020 summer cohort was the most diverse in the program’s history, with women or members of underrepresented ethnic or racial groups comprising 95 percent of participants. It was also considerably larger than in previous years, as CodePath tripled its program capacity to help make up for missed job opportunities and internships canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a June press release.
The organization partners with institutions of higher education and tech companies to prepare students for in-demand careers by supplementing college computer science programs with industry-trusted curriculum. CodePath also offers personalized student support, career preparation, and job placement services to help boost enrollment and lower attrition rates for underserved students interested in computer science.
“Black, Brown, low-income, and women students are not underrepresented in tech because they’re not capable; they’re underrepresented because the system was not built for them,” Michael Ellison, the organization’s founder and CEO, said in a statement. “For years, we’ve tried to figure out how they can adapt to the system. It’s time for the system to adapt to them.”
The summer program provided virtual software engineering instruction for 765 students from nearly 248 colleges and universities. Nearly 70 percent of participants were women, 47 percent were first-generation students, 30 percent were Black, and 17 percent were Hispanic or Latinx, according to CodePath.org.
An additional 3,800 students were granted “observer access,” allowing them to access free course materials such as lesson guides and video lectures for independent learning.
In November 2019, Walmart, Microsoft Philanthropies, and Cognizant U.S. Foundation pledged to donate $3 million to CodePath. The investment is set to boost the organization’s annual capacity by 250 percent, enabling the program to serve as many as 7,000 students by 2021, according to HR Dive.
Mariah Stewart is a senior staff writer for INSIGHT Into Diversity. This article was published in our September 2020 issue.
