NEWS

Breaking barriers and building bridges: Over the course of three transformative days, ¡Valle! Get Your Start in Tech! empowered 27 students from California’s Central Valley to reimagine their futures in STEM. Hosted by the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society and Banatao Institute at UC Merced, the sixth annual workshop combined hands-on learning, career-building tools, and community connection to pave pathways for underrepresented students into tech and research careers—one pitch, code, and connection at a time. When Linda Garcia first attended ¡Valle! as a freshman four years ago, she learned skills in making an elevator pitch and networking. This year, Linda had the opportunity to return to the program as a ¡Valle! Ambassador, gaining an opportunity to further build her skills and mentor others starting out on their journey in STEM. Linda said, “I attended ¡Valle! during my freshman year at UC Merced. When I returned this year, I realized that the skills I had learned during my first Valle have improved tremendously over the course of 4 years. Skills I’ve learned such as making an elevator pitch and networking have helped me to get an internship at my dream job, which led to a full-time role. The skills learned at this event are not taught in classes and are essential for being successful in the field. Valle helped change my life."

During an intensive three-day event, students learned with tools to navigate careers in technology. The program emphasized skill-building, networking, and increasing self-confidence for students in STEM fields. Participants attended career talks, coding workshops, and networking sessions designed to connect them with peers, industry professionals, and faculty. Throughout the weekend, students built their communication and networking skills, learned new coding skills with Google Earth Engine and drones, attended career talks, worked on application materials for jobs and internships, networked through LinkedIn, and grew their STEM communities. These activities aimed to enhance career readiness as well as the students’ sense of belonging within the tech and STEM communities.

A common theme throughout the weekend focused on the importance of networking, touched on by many of the speakers who gave examples of the power of networking in their own career journeys. The students practiced their own elevator pitches and had the chance to share them in a real networking setting to mentors from industry and academia during a formal business dinner in downtown Merced.

¡Valle! was developed to address disparities in STEM by increasing accessibility to research experiences and professional opportunities for students from California’s Central Valley. Since its inception, the program has aimed to build a diverse talent pipeline to meet the growing demands of the tech industry while fostering community connections. Designed to increase self-efficacy and sense of belonging in STEM, ¡Valle! fosters diversity in STEM by increasing the accessibility of students in STEM to research experiences, graduate school, and tech careers. The program has supported more than 170 students to date, with plans to expand its reach in coming years.

This year’s attendees continued the tradition of gaining exposure to opportunities in research and industry while building a sense of agency in shaping their futures. ¡Valle! Get Your Start in Tech! was supported this year through funding from CITRIS’ Workforce Innovation Program.

¡Valle! Get Your Start in Tech! is transforming lives and creating pathways for underrepresented students in the Central Valley to thrive in STEM careers. Your support can help us expand this impactful program and reach even more students with opportunities to gain critical skills, build confidence, and connect with the tech community. Join us in shaping the next generation of diverse STEM leaders by making a donation today to CITRIS at UC Merced. Together, we can empower students to achieve their dreams and drive innovation for the future.