A team of graduate students from Columbus State University’s TSYS School of Computer Science was recently awarded a $1,000 grant from the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT) to encourage fourth- and fifth-grade girls to pursue a future in technology.

The Computer Science students: Trang Nguyen, Hilliary Fleenor, Britni Alexander, and Yien Wang will host a “computing day” for young ladies in the area to gain experience with computational thinking and problem solving. Columbus State was one of only ten schools across the nation - among the likes of Michigan State University and the University of Pittsburgh - to receive the grant.

“This award is a great opportunity to interest more young women in computer technology,” said Wayne Summers, professor and distinguished chairperson for the TSYS School of Computer Science. “The Seed Fund will serve also as a gateway to many more grant prospects.”

Sponsored by Symantec, the award comes from the NCWIT Student Seed Fund grant, which supports student-run initiatives that inspire women and underrepresented groups to participate in computing at the K-12 or collegiate levels.

For more information about the NCWIT Student Seed Fund, please visit http://www.ncwit.org/programs-campaigns/ncwit-awards/ncwit-student-seed-fund or contact Wayne Summers at 706-507-8193.