New IST scholarship honors friendships formed at Penn State
Two College of Information Sciences and Technology alumni recently came together to establish a scholarship in memory of their friend and fellow classmate, Jimmy Lee Brown, who died in 2019.
Alumna-led nonprofit aims to empower female emergency dispatchers
Nearly a quarter of emergency dispatch personnel experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, and the national turnover rate of 911 dispatchers is more than 17%.
IST Alumni Identity Talks series Sept. 15, 'Celebrating Hispanic Heritage'
Members of the Penn State community are invited to join alumni of the College of Information Sciences and Technology for IST Alumni Identity Talks — Celebrating Hispanic Heritage, to be held virtually from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 15.
IST alumnus and Latinx workers in tech advocate lands dream job at Twitter
Growing up in Philadelphia, Noel Claudio never thought that it was possible to work for a big social media tech company unless he lived in California or New York.
Overcoming homelessness and hardships to earn a Penn State degree
On his 18th birthday, Joel Seidel became emancipated from his parents and, in turn, homeless. He said Penn State equipped him with the tools and resources he needed to succeed, including support from scholarships.
Alumni sisters experience IST 10 years apart, advocate for diversity in tech
Many alumni can say that the Penn State legacy runs in their family, but few can say that they graduated from the same college as their sibling.
Study of police language aims to find patterns that may lead to tragic outcomes
With a new grant from the National Institutes of Health, an interdisciplinary team of researchers aims to examine police radio communications to observe what happens during adverse encounters between police officers and male minority youth and study any patterns of interaction that may lead to un
AI-powered software to improve public health outcomes in underserved communities
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a struggle for many students. But for Kareem Jelks, the pandemic has fueled his passion to help others, especially those in underserved communities.
New tool could help lessen bias in live television broadcasts
From Sunday morning news shows to on-air pregame commentary in sports, live telecasts draw viewers into real-time content on televisions around the world.
Lees establish educational equity scholarship at IST
Corey and Leteace Lee have established an educational equity scholarship in the College of Information Sciences and Technology to support students with financial need who are first-generation or from underrepresented backgrounds.
IST Alumni Identity Talks spark dialogue on diversity between students, alumni
“Be intentional.” “Remember your why.” “Be clear on who you are.” “You’re not alone.” Those were a few of the main takeaways shared by panelists with students during the first IST Alumni Identity Talks event, hosted virtually by the College of Information Sciences and Technology last month.
IST alumna aims to impact social justice issues through video game design
With the video game industry expected to near $200 billion in revenue by 2022, game designers have expanded their reach to interest different types of players.
New app aims to help bring community to underrepresented students
Penn State students now have an easier way to connect with campus organizations that match their backgrounds and interests through a new app designed by a team of students, Vybrnt, which was launched to help students from underrepresented backgrounds to build community on campus.
IST students honor diversity in computing at virtual TAPIA conference
In mid-September, 17 College of Information Sciences and Technology students attended the annual ACM Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference, an event celebrating diversity in the technology field.
Six educational equity scholarships established at the College of IST
Six educational equity scholarships have recently been established to benefit students in the College of Information Sciences and Technology.
Dean Andrew Sears establishes educational equity scholarship at College of IST
In response to financial challenges students face when pursuing a college degree, and motivated in part by the significant social justice issues across the country, Andrew Sears, dean of the College of Information Sciences and Technology, and his wife, Beth, have made a gift to establish the Andr
Nonprofit provides STEAM education to underserved youth in Atlanta
Joe Lewis, a 2010 graduate of the College of Information Sciences and Technology, created a nonprofit organization to give children in underserved communities in Atlanta the opportunity to learn about and experience technology after noticing disparities that existed in the city's school syst
Women across IST at Penn State are creating a 'culture of empowerment'
The Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology recently hosted a “Sit With Me” initiative, which was held as part of the global campaign powered by the National Center for Women & Information Technology to recognize and validate the important role women play in creating future
Student who lost his leg in hunting accident has some doors close, others open
RJ Shirey, a sophomore in the College of Information Sciences and Technology, overcame life-changing trauma: a gunshot that led to the amputation of his right leg. Today, he uses his disability to benefit the lives of those around him.
First-generation student celebrates success as IST student marshal
Since Joselyne Mera Vargas moved to the United States from Ecuador when she was 9 years old, she has developed valuable leadership and communication skills, discovered a passion for data science, and completed a summer internship at Harvard University.