Nonprofit Campaign Champions Underrepresented Students in Computer Science

New Survey Illuminates the Perspectives of Underrepresented Students in University Tech Programs

NEW YORK, March 27, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- On March 28, 2024, the Percentage Project will publish its 2023-2024 findings related to diversity in university technology programs. While students, faculty, and the wider public can access broad statistics about the enrollment of underrepresented students in technology programs, the latest Percentage Project survey provides an in-depth picture into how current students view their experience.

Percentage Project President and Co-Founder Stephanie Tang remarks, "It's critical to actually collect data so that we understand where disparities lie before skipping to solutions."

The data in the forthcoming report takes into account gender, race and ethnicity, LGBTQ+ identification, disability, low income, first-generation college enrollment, and international student status. The survey questions encompass 46 themes ranging from department support to students' confidence in their studies and more. As the Percentage Project tracks this data from year to year, it seeks to create a national average benchmark that pushes all university programs to better serve their students.

Survey respondents choose to identify with a statement like "I feel confident studying computer science and related fields" versus "I feel intimidated studying computer science and related fields." Respondents also indicate whether they strongly agree or somewhat agree with statements such as "At my university, students from every background have an equal chance to succeed," "I feel adequately supported by the CS department and the resources offered by the department," and "I have to prove myself before being taken seriously in academic settings."

The survey findings uncover significant disparities in some areas. For example, 35% of African American/Black students reported feeling supported by their departments, whereas approximately 65% percent of white students perceived support from their departments. Another finding demonstrates that while 27% percent of male students shared that they feel intimidated by computer science and related fields, 65% of female students reported feeling intimidated.

Since 2017, the Percentage Project has administered its annual survey on college campuses throughout the United States. During this time, the organization has worked with students from 27 different schools, including Binghamton University, Brown University, Rutgers University, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Vermont, and others.

The 2023 findings will be part of a campaign involving hundreds of participants working to create awareness about the challenges and concerns of underrepresented students in tech. This year's campaign includes photo submissions from current students along with a series of video interviews, "Stories Behind the Statistics," and plans for diversity summits aimed at helping universities use the data to map out a trajectory for progress.

Percentage Project Chief Outreach Officer Jason R. Chen shares, "We're thankful for our incredible university partners who have been so vital in our mission to better understand and address the challenges that students around the U.S. currently face."

To get involved or learn more, follow the Percentage Project on social media or visit percentageproject.org.

About the Percentage Project

The Percentage Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to helping every person of every background embrace their diversity and feel a sense of belonging in the field that they pursue. The organization gathers anonymous survey data from students across the country and encourages reflection and conversation about how university programs can use the data to create a more inclusive and equitable education experience. Please find their social media links below.

Instagram: https://instagram.com/percentageproject/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/percentageproject

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/percentageproject

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@percentageproject

Media Contact

Megan Hagler, Percentage Project, 1 510-982-5735, [email protected], https://www.percentageproject.org/

Jason R. Chen, Percentage Project, 1 510-520-9148, [email protected], https://www.percentageproject.org/

SOURCE Percentage Project