Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Package

Overview

UNC CS continues its commitment to increasing support for historically excluded identities within CS and tech. Over the past year, we have implemented projects and initiatives to support DEI engagement on a faculty, staff and student level.

By popular demand, the Corporate Partners Program now includes DEI Package offerings that allow employers to engage with our student initiatives regularly and meaningfully.

Debugging DEI

Debugging DEI brings attention to diversity, equity and inclusion efforts within the department, but also the broader UNC and tech communities. Debugging DEI is aimed at increasing accessibility to DEI education and heightening awareness around experiences of underrepresented communities in technology, while also providing them equitable support and advocacy.

Debugging DEI highlights events and programs that further these efforts, tells the stories of its community members and celebrates the contributions of historically marginalized groups to the tech industry, all in hopes of “debugging” issues and challenges in the CS and tech community and creating safe spaces to explore potential solutions.

DEI Package Options

Debugging DEI Workshops & Trainings

The educational component of Debugging DEI, these are open to all CS students with an interest in learning about DEI topics. Topics may include reducing bias in recruitment and selection, where we all fit in with DEI, developing a philosophy of allyship, exploring ideas of cultural wealth, and more. Partners will be listed as sponsors for 2-3 events per semester.

DEI Ambassador Program

The DEI Ambassador program is the student leadership element of Debugging DEI. Ambassadors are current CS students who hold historically excluded identities taking the lead to increase community and support for CS peers with similar identities. The DEI Ambassador role includes educational programming, community building, K-12 outreach and peer support.
Companies will be listed as a sponsor on our DEI Ambassador website, in our training materials and in community building programming (around 10 events per semester), as well as in any K-12 outreach promotional materials. K-12 outreach will target rural and low-income areas as well as BIPOC populations.

Debugging DEI Advocacy Programming

These events held by the department increase support and community for historically excluded identities in CS and technology. Companies will have the opportunity to sponsor and participate in events like the biannual COMP 110 Diversity Panel, the biannual Hack 110 overnight hackathon, the annual Womxn in Tech Week event series and Hack the Culture, which is a two-day experience for BIPOC students featuring networking, panels, and roundtable discussions.

Student-Led Advocacy Events

The department supports student groups to host annual and biennial advocacy events, including AfroPix, which celebrates Black and Brown coders, and Pearl Hacks, one of the nation‘s oldest hackathons for women and non-binary coders. queer_hack, a biennial event for LGBTQ+ students, will next be held in 2023.
Companies in Tier 1 will be listed as sponsors, and companies in Tiers 2 and 3 will be automatically designated as Entry-Level sponsors*.

DEI Employer Consultation and Workshops

Corporate partners will have the opportunity each quarter to learn about DEI trends within the department, get tips to engage with students effectively and participate in cross-company discussion in order to optimize student engagement methods.

Student Organization Connection

Corporate partners will be paired with identity-centered student groups to establish connections with its members. Corporate partners may select one group included with the Engagement package.

Conference Sponsorship

Partners are invited to provide a company-named scholarship for students to attend any professional organization conference. Company information and swag will be shared with all participants. This package includes a corporate partner meet and greet event (if applicable) and access to attendee resumes and attendee contact information. Funding will be allocated based on student interest. Conference options include AfroTech, Grace Hopper Celebration, CMD-IT/ACM Richard Tapia Conference and SACNAS NDiSTEM Conference.

Summer Research Experience

A collaboration between faculty, DEI and External Relations, UNC CS hosts a summer research experience program for undergraduate juniors with historically excluded identities. Alongside a hands-on research experience with faculty, interns participate in various workshops focused on identity development, advocacy and other DEI-related topics. Interns are also paired with employer representatives to act as a career coach and research mentor.