August 21, 2024
At SCI, providing resources to underrepresented students and making all students feel welcome is a priority, and students like Roshni Singh (SCI ’26) are putting that into practice. A leader inside and outside of the Pitt community, Singh’s role in SCI initiatives has given her hands-on opportunities to empower fellow students.
When Singh began her journey at SCI as a new student majoring in computer science, she had enough credits to take on a sophomore-level courseload. Facing a rigorous courseload in a new academic environment was initially challenging for Singh. She found support from two teaching assistants (TAs), who were also women in STEM.
“Their presence made me feel more confident about pursuing my major,” said Singh. “They navigated the male-dominated field with ease, maintaining positivity and excelling, which inspired me to do the same. Their support and example helped me feel more comfortable in a field where I was a minority.”
Like her TAs, Singh shares a passion for empowering students in STEM. This summer, Singh served as a Technology Leadership Initiative instructor at SCI under the guidance of Mackenzie Ball, Director of Outreach and Alumni Engagement. Singh taught 20 high school and middle school students topics like computer networking, operating systems, cybersecurity, robotic and neuromorphic computing, big data, logic, natural language processing, mobile app development, and human-computer interaction.
“This experience challenged me to develop curriculum to ensure the students could fully benefit from the program,” said Singh. “I am pleased to report that every student in our end-of-camp survey expressed having had a great time, which is a testament to the successful outcome of my efforts.”
Singh will continue her leadership in August as a peer mentor in SCI UBelong, a high school to college bridge program developed by Mackenzie Ball, Lynnsey Doane, Director of Student Success, and Rachel Parkes, Director of Advising.
“[SCI UBelong] aims to welcome incoming first-year female, non-binary, underrepresented minorities, and first-generation college students to foster community and increase the retention rate at SCI,” explained Singh.
Singh will also serve as a peer tutor for CS 445: Data Structures and Algorithms 1 in the upcoming fall semester and volunteer as an organizer for SheInnovates 2025.
Singh has expressed interest in pursuing a career in the field of business intelligence after graduation, working with data to analyze business information and make decisions.
“Thanks to SCI’s executive events and Jenn Welton [Director of Career Development], I’ve had the opportunity to network with executives and explore potential career paths,” said Singh.
Throughout her experience at SCI, Singh has learned that asking for help is one of the most important things one can do for success.
“The professors, TAs, peer tutors, and SCI Student Success are all genuinely invested in helping students thrive,” said Singh. “They have consistently provided a supportive environment where I can confidently seek guidance related to coursework, its content, and even various aspects of life. Each person within these support systems has walked in my shoes and understands the intricacies of navigating university life. Leveraging their own experiences, they generously share their expertise to motivate us to persevere and maximize our educational and college journey.”
Learn more about Roshni Singh!