AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMEN IN COMPUTER SCIENCE (AAWCS)

Note: The AAWCS program is no longer accepting applications for Fall 2010. Any applications submitted as of 7/30/2010 will be considered for Spring 2011 only!!

What Is AAWCS?

The African-American Women in Computer Science (AAWCS) program provides financial, academic and professional support to women enrolled in the Computer and Information Sciences (CIS) department at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, in an effort to:

1. serve as a financial incentive to continue matriculation to the baccalaureate degree;
2. create a significant support structure within the department to strengthen academic ability and awareness of career paths in the computing disciplines;
3. build a sense of identity and unity among underrepresented women in the computer science (CS) and information technology (IT) fields; and
4. expose the students to graduate programs and corporate laboratory environments to provide them with better opportunities for success in the field upon graduation.

While African-American women are the focus group for the program, the program will not be limited to African-Americans, but will seek to service all groups of women enrolled in CS or IT.

Financial Support Provided:

• 19 undergraduate FAMU CIS students selected as AAWCS Scholars per year
• Student stipend between $2,000 and $5,000 per semester, depending on financial need

Academic and Career Support Provided:

• Monthly seminars on topics related to women in CS/IT
• Peer mentoring groups (called Peer Teams)
• Academic advisement, tutorial services, etc.
• Professional and personal development activities
• Assistance with selection of graduate schools (including campus visits)
• Preparation for employment (interviewing skills, resume writing, etc)
• Participation in national Conferences centered on Women in CS and IT (i.e., Grace Hopper Celebration, National Conference for Women in IT, etc.)

Eligibility:

• Must be a FAMU Undergraduate Student (either Entering Freshman, Current Student or Transfer)
• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Must be enrolled in Computer and Information Sciences (CIS), Computer Engineering, or Mathematics
• Must have a minimum 2.5 GPA at the time of applying
• Must show evidence of Financial Need

To Apply, submit the following:

• 2 letters of recommendation (at least one from an instructor)
• Current AAWCS Advertisement
• AAWCS Application (Download Here)
• AAWCS Financial Need Form (Download Here - To be Completed By Financial Aid Office)
• Offical Transcript
• Statement of Purpose - Why YOU should be selected for AAWCS (minimum 500 Words)