Discovery Partners Institute

And just like that, the 5th cohort of trainees in our Software Development Foundations Tech Apprenticeship program in the Pritzker Tech Talent Labs earn their certificates of completion. Congratulations to all! 🎉

That’s a wrap!! Digital Bridge 2024 Summer Program held its closing session today at TechNexus Venture Collaborative. Students wrapped up their five-week journey into the Digital Bridge tech ecosystem by presenting their team capstone projects to three professional judges. Thank you to Mark Harris, Manleen Rajput, and Kayla C. for taking on the tough task of picking a winner! Students worked in teams throughout the summer to develop an original solution to a problem or pet peeve—and their presentations were outstanding. Kudos to all the participants, and extra flowers to the winning team behind Blossom Buddy, a gardening and plant care reminder app! Jared B. Bears, Emily Valdez, and Dafne Hernandez! Many thanks to Discovery Partners Institute, City Colleges of Chicago, World Business Chicago’s ThinkChicago, Google, United Airlines, and TechNexus Venture Collaborative Thank you also to all the tech leaders and staff for helping to make this year’s Digital Bridge program the best version yet! Next stop, the CS Starter Academy 2024—stay tuned!

🚀 ThinkChicago by World Business Chicago + Discovery Partners Institute + City Colleges of Chicago = connecting local talent with career pathways in our city’s vibrant #technology and #innovation economy. 👏 On behalf of all of us at World Business Chicago: congrats to the 2024 cohort of the Digital Bridge program by Discovery Partners Institute and City Colleges of Chicago! 💡Led by Discovery Partners Institute, City Colleges of Chicago, and World Business Chicago: the Digital Bridge Program supports incoming and current City Colleges of Chicago students along their progression into computing and tech-related careers. Launched in 2021, Digital Bridge strives to build a make diverse and invasive #STEM workforce with #Chicagoland and #Illinois students. During the summer, Digital Bridge students engage with leading technologists, startup entrepreneurs, and executives from innovative companies and startups. We want local companies to scale and thrive with local talent, especially from City Colleges of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools. ⬇️ Learn more via link in comments. 📸: As always, geat work by ThinkChicago by World Business Chicago Director Trenton Dunn! 📍TeamWorking by TechNexus

Discovery Partners Institute could not be more elated that Ashlyn Sparrow from the University of Chicago’s Weston Game Lab returned to give another presentation to Digital Scholars! She gave a highly dynamic talk, covering how she got into game development, stand-out games, and the value of global travel. She emphasized how it’s perfectly acceptable to change direction after giving something your all, illustrating this point with her personal transition from art to software development.   Muhais Olatundun, an incoming college freshman, was impressed by her confidence and enthusiasm for her job. He noted, “Her passion for her work was really motivating because it shows how much she cares about the difference she is making in the community.” Rising senior Lauren enthused how Ashlyn made decisions that were true to her, choosing roles that aligned to her career values. Leila, a rising junior, loved the fun, creative side of work that Ashlyn showcased.   It’s very clear how much the students appreciated hearing from Ashlyn. DPI would like to thank her again for her treasured support and generously sharing her time and valuable knowledge!   #DiscoverDPI #CareerInsights #StudentSuccess

Everlasting thanks to Discovery Partners Institute’s very own Haneen Omar for presenting a crucial primer on succeeding in a corporate environment. She emphasized the criticality of having strong soft skills, such as communication and empathy, and highlighted their application in modern, team-based organizations. Haneen's insights underscored that there are no developers working in silos – interpersonal skills are essential in today's tech roles. Victoria Martinez, an incoming college freshman, valued hearing from a Muslim woman who wears a hijab making her way in tech and related to Haneen’s perspective on formal education and how much it matters in the workplace. Tristan, a rising senior, really appreciated the interactive discussion she conducted regarding workplace decision-making. Another senior, Damarrian, felt that “what she said was very valuable because I can relate to it”, specifically around the role and application of soft skills.   Incalculable gratitude to Haneen for sharing her time and expertise with the students; her guidance is absolutely vital for the scholars to hear as they embark on their career journeys!   #DiscoverDPI #CareerInsights #StudentSuccess

Discovery Partners Institute is incalculably grateful to Diana Jokić for her insightful session with Digital Scholars students! Her detailed and informative presentation highlighted her career journey to Google, what a day in the life of an electrical engineer looks like, essential skills learned on the job, and preparation strategies for a role in hardware tech. Diana even included problems where students had to identify issues with different signals, such as signal loading.   Brianna Johnson, an incoming college freshman, shared, “She not only told us about her career path, she also taught us some of what she does. Her explanation of Arduinos reminded me why I want to get into computer science.” Jason, a rising senior, appreciated the discussion around Diana’s internships and their impact: “It told me that I need to do a lot of internships to benefit my future career.”   Thank you so much again to Diana for providing such an instructive discussion for the students around hardware development and life as an electrical engineer!    #DiscoverDPI #CareerInsights #StudentSuccess

So many thank yous to Katherine O'Connor (Kathy) from NetherRealm Studios (WB Games) for her time with Digital Scholars! Her absorbing presentation covered details around her school and work background, how she got into video games, and the diverse roles of engineers in game creation - from gameplay to UI to game engine specialists. Kathy also communicated powerful advice on asking questions, stressing that “if you’re too afraid to ask questions, you aren’t going to learn.”   Jaylen, a rising college freshman, shared, “I liked that she told us all about the different game engineering positions and what people in those roles do for the companies that they work for. This was all new information for me.” Alex, a rising junior, “liked hearing what she had to say about her job. I’m interested in game design, especially the programming part of it. Hearing from someone who works in that field is always good.”   Discovery Partners Institute extends deep appreciation to Kathy for coming to speak with the students and sharing precious insights into the gaming industry!   #DiscoverDPI #CareerInsights #StudentSuccess

Time to celebrate another terrific Digital Bridge Session this past Friday, 7/19/2024, Pitch Perfect Workshop at DPI! Many thanks to Billy Ndizeye, Program Manager at 1871, who provided expert guidance to Digital Bridge participants who are working on their Capstone projects for the competition presentation on 7/26. Billy’s advice and expertise helped students begin to develop their winning Capstone presentations that will stand out. Arturo Arzate Jr., Digital Bridge participant and student at Harold Washington College, shared that “Billy gave me a better idea on how to structure a pitch and helped me feel more confident.” Thanks, Billy! Students also practiced their pitch styles with Sonia Pulido, M.Ed, Assistant Director for Post Secondary Programming, who walked them through a fun practice pitching “hard to sell” creative solutions like the paper clip, waste basket and post-it notes to tough “Digital Bridge” customers!   Participants are thankful for Digital Bridge mentors Lorenzo Vera and Giovanni Vera who were the 2023 Digital Bridge Capstone Presentation winners and shared helpful pointers on how they developed their winning Capstone project, as well as shared how much they value the Digital Bridge program. Giovanni said that he “loves the endless key takeaways DPI provides in regards to pitches, presentations, and overall professional skills.” Thanks, Giovanni!   The impact of Friday's session will extend beyond the Capstone project as students take these important presentation and group work skills with them into the work place. Thank you for another terrific session Discovery Partners Institute and World Business Chicago! #PreparingStudentsForCSSuccess! 

Tuesday, July 23rd marked the successful conclusion of the SPARKS (Summer Program for Applied Research and Knowledge Sharing) program at Discovery Partners Institute, directed by Rukmini Manasa Avadhanam, Ph.D. and Danna Dotson. Over the past six weeks, students from the Illinois Math and Science Academy (IMSA), Metea Valley High School, and incoming University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign freshmen have diligently worked on research projects with guidance and mentorship from scientists/researchers in R&D, culminating in a notable showcase of their accomplishments.   The event began with warm welcomes from featured speakers Ruben Abarca, Venkat Venkatakrishnan, and Jerome Kok, followed by Camryn Woodworth's engaging icebreaker session and a networking activity. Scholars from the National University of Singapore and DPI’s Summer Tech Interns program led by Karen Larson were invited to attend, fostering valuable connections. Mark Harris provided inspiring closing remarks before the highlight of the day: the SPARKS poster presentations.   Each student delivered an absorbing overview of their work, demonstrating in-depth research and detailed analysis. It was a very rewarding time for the students as well:   Fiyin enthused, “This experience has definitely been insightful, and I learned new skills such as problem solving and time management. I’m really excited about what I can accomplish in the future.” Aryan also greatly enjoyed the experience, stating how his mentors really helped him and how “it was my first time working in an environment like this.” He appreciated receiving “feedback from different wings of the company” and was gratified getting to solve a problem for them.   Ellen reflected, “It was a really fantastic way to learn how research is done in the real world,” detailing how knowledge from different disciplines can be combined and then used in other projects. She also valued how the program is “great for exposure and networking.” Yurem expressed how “this program is a very opening experience - I became more open-minded about things. I appreciate more the work that researchers do now and the impact that research has to the public.”   Thank you to the students from the National University of Singapore and the Summer Tech Interns program for attending, and hearty congratulations to all the SPARKS participants on their outstanding achievements!   #DiscoverDPI #Innovation #STEM #StudentResearch

Discovery Partners Institute is extremely grateful to Charity Freeman at CS for Success and Computer Science Teachers Association for meeting with students in Digital Scholars today! Joining virtually, Charity delivered a highly engaging talk that not only covered her career and educational journey but also imparted invaluable wisdom to the students: Do not be afraid to say yes - however, also understand your priorities and don't hesitate to decline when necessary. And don’t forget to say thank you!   Srikriti, a rising senior, felt empowered by Charity's words, sharing how they “made me feel assured that I can plan my own future, set my own limits and not let anyone else influence my decisions.” She also appreciated how Charity effectively drew parallels between her experiences and those of the students. Osmond, an incoming college freshman, found her refreshing honesty very inspiring and valued how she seemed always ready for the new day. He noted how Charity is “always learning”, showcasing her drive and intelligence.   A million thanks to Charity for her inspiring presentation, equipping the scholars with practical insights for their future endeavors, and for her extremely valuable support of DPI!   #DiscoverDPI #CareerInsights #StudentSuccess