Shana White is already a jack of all trades and she can now add another title to her impressive resume. White was recently named a 2019 Georgia Tech Diversity and Inclusion Fellow.

White was one of 21 people from across campus named to the 2019 class. Computer Science (CS) undergraduate student Lorin Achey and CS graduate student Keshav Bumbraw also earned the prestigious fellowship this year. In all, there were 94 applicants.

White is currently a Constellations Center for Equity in Computing Fellow. Her continued work through the Diversity and Inclusion program help the center’s ongoing efforts to combat the shortage of K-12 computer science teachers in Georgia and across the country.

“I am humbled and honored to be selected for this fellowship. It is my hope that my project will continue to help bridge the gaps, increase teacher self-efficacy, and increase access to computational thinking, computer science, STEM materials and activities for teachers to integrate within their classrooms, all of which are desperately needed,” said White.

Supported by Institute Diversity and the ADVANCE program, the fellows program cultivates a network of ambassadors who will advance a culture of inclusive excellence. Each class of fellows consists of faculty, staff, and students who work collectively and individually to make Georgia Tech’s campus a place where people feel comfortable, safe, and empowered to discuss inclusion and diversity.

Past projects from Diversity and Inclusion Fellows include events like Black Women Gather, Ending the Gender Gap in STEM Fields, International Alumni-Student Mentorship Program, and LGBTQUIA+ Storytelling in Virtual Reality.

White’s project will use a stipend to support professional development of any metro-Atlanta area middle or high school teacher who teaches a student population that predominantly comprises students of color. The project will work to better equip Georgia teachers in integrating computer science along with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curricula into their schools. It may also give more teachers an opportunity to prepare for and take the computer science certification test.

Launched in 2016, the program was created after the 2012 Georgia Tech Climate Assessment Survey showed that some faculty, students, and staff felt marginalized by race, gender, and ethnicity. A Strategic Plan Advisory Group created the fellowship program in an effort to accelerate cultural transformation at the Institute.