fester@bosco.Berkeley.EDU (08/30/89)
I would like to let you know about the program I coordinate at the University of California, Berkeley -- the Computer Science Reentry Program. We function as a bridge -- a means of going from one academic discipline to another -- for women and underrepresented minorities who want to pursue either a master's or a doctorate in computer science but do not qualify for admission to graduate school in computer science because they lack the required undergraduate classes. Currently, the program is in its sixth year; sixty-eight students have participated, thirty-five students have completed the program, twenty-nine have been admitted to graduate programs. Our graduates have achieved a high rate of acceptance to nationally ranked graduate programs. Nine of our graduates have received their master's degrees; others are completing their doctorates. Our students come from many different academic backgrounds. Many became interested in computer science by working in technical positions in Silicon Valley computer firms. Our program allows them back in to the academic flow of information. The success of the program is due to departmental commitment to affirmative action and to our ability to respond to the needs of individual students. In addition to providing academic counseling for students, we hold weekly support groups and informational seminars, arrange tutoring, organize study groups and preparation sessions for taking the GRE exams and applying to graduate school. Please contact me if you would like more information on the program. I can be reached at (415)642-1390 or via electronic mail. Mary E. Grigolia (grigolia@ernie.berkeley.edu) Coordinator, Computer Science Reentry Program 467 Evans Hall University of California Berkeley, CA 94720