July 13, 2026
The Ida Flynn conference fund will soon join the many funds available to undergraduate and graduate School of Computing and Information (SCI) students meant to support their educations. This award, in particular, monetarily supports students’ ability to attend conferences, by helping to cover travel costs, registration, and ancillary expenses. The fund, created by Pitt alumnus Jamie Allen (IS ’93) and his wife, Yeon Kim, was established to support the future of SCI students, a group that is close to the pair’s hearts.
Kim and Allen explained they chose to focus the fund on students attending conferences because of the variety of conferences available to current students. The pair said being able to attend these experiences gives students a fundamental undergraduate opportunity.
“We hope that this fund provides students access to unique professional experiences that help them find their own path, as well as the networking opportunities with luminaries across the technology landscape,” Allen said.
With the variety of conferences available to students, the co-creators of this fund have ensured it covers the large selection students might be interested in. Allen said each conference has its own unique value to it.
“The large ones are overwhelming, but some of the biggest names and thought leaders can only be found at them. The small ones offer intimacy and opportunities to truly engage with tremendous technologists in specialized areas,” Allen said. “We hope that students are able to use this fund to find their own group of people who impact them as Ida did for me.”
The fund was named after the late Ida Flynn, a professor at Pitt and co-founder of SCI’s undergraduate information science program. Allen was a student of Professor Flynn’s during his time at Pitt, and describes her as an excellent and challenging teacher-- one part of the reason the fund holds her name.
“She cared deeply about helping students succeed,” Allen said. “When I went through a rough personal period due to the death of a friend from a drunk driver, she helped me complete my work while giving me time to grieve. Beyond her outstanding technical instruction, it was her empathy that made an impact in my life.”
The creation of this conference fund allows Allen to continue to spread Flynn’s legacy of empathy. Allen explained this idea to be a driving factor behind the fund.
“Kindness and empathy matter in today's world more than ever,” Allen said. “Never forget what someone did for you, so that you too can make a lasting change in someone else's life in the future.”
Beyond the support of student experiences, Allen has continued to stay involved at his alma mater and at SCI specifically. Allen credits his brother-in-law, Eric Spiegel, and the continued interest of Pitt for his involvement as a Schools and Campuses Representative, on the SCI Alumni Board, and on the Board of Visitors.
“I'm very proud to be associated with Pitt, and I want future students to have the same opportunities I did,” Allen said. “I never expected my involvement to continue, but I've been happy to participate every time I've been asked.”
Allen has also stayed connected to the University and SCI in an even more personal way. Allen’s daughter, Sophie Allen (SCI ’28), is now a student at SCI, following in her father’s footsteps. Allen said being able to relive his experiences with her is “absolutely surreal.”
“It's been great watching her forging her own path at Pitt. She has found great support from her professor and counselor, like I did with Ida,” Allen said. “She blows my mind every day. My wife, Yeon, and I, are extremely proud of her.”
With the creation of the Ida Flynn fund, Allen and Kim have been able to extend their relationship with Pitt and continue to cement their own personal relationship with SCI, showcasing the importance of future generations of SCI students.
To support the Ida Flynn fund and the future of SCI, donate here.