Reshma Saujani is one of the most influential women in modern-day technology. She has an extensive resume in the political, business, and technology sectors. Being the first Indian American woman to run for congress in 2010 and founding the Girls Who Code non-profit organization, Saujani has provided countless opportunities for the future of women in technology. Through her Girls Who Code organization, Saujani is working to close the gender gap in the technology sector. Today, we take a closer look at both Reshma Saujani and her organization Girls Who Code.
Reshma Saujani was born in November 1975 in Illinois. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she majored in Political Science and Speech Communication. Being of Gujarati Indian descent, Saujani was the first Indian American woman to run for congress in 2010. While on the campaign trail, Saujani visited schools where she observed the apparent gender gap found in computing classes. It was because of this that she founded the nonprofit organization Girls Who Code in 2012 aiming at closing the gender gap by building up young girls between the ages of 13 and 17. It is through her experiences as both a political leader and philanthropist that Saujani is now the author of three books, most notably Girls Who Code: Learn to Code and Change the World, published by Viking in August 2017.
When visiting the Girls Who Code website, you are invited to the organization's mission which is to “close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a programmer looks like and does”. We also find that Girls Who Code has three main types of programs that they offer. One program is club-based. These club-based strategies target girls from 3rd to 12th grade with an interest in “[exploring] coding in a fun & friendly environment.” The second strategy is called summer immersion programs. These programs are two weeklong summer programs aimed at girls in 10th - 12th grade to “learn to code & gain exposure to tech jobs.” The third and final strategy is called College Loops. This is their college program which wants to “help our alumni succeed and build community with other women in tech.” Through Saujani’s organization, you can see how Girls Who Code is designed to create a clear pathway for girls interested in tech from 3rd graders to college students. Their extensive alumni network is worldwide with former members landing jobs in all sectors of the technology industry all over the world. So, if your daughter is interested in technology, give Girls Who Code a try, maybe she’ll join the alumni network as well!
If you want to learn more about Girls Who Code and their opportunities click here.