For many of the Arizona State University students who traveled to Chicago this November, the Grace Hopper Celebration, or GHC, wasn’t just another conference. It was a moment of recognition, connection and possibility among thousands of women and non-binary technologists.
This year, the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU, provided scholarships for 12 computer science and engineering students to attend the event. When they stepped into Chicago’s McCormick Place Convention Center, they joined more than 20,000 attendees gathered for the 25th anniversary of the GHC. Banners glowed with this year’s theme, “Unbound,” setting the tone for a week centered on breaking boundaries and imagining new futures in technology.
“I was so excited to attend the Grace Hopper Celebration for the first time because I have always appreciated the sense of motivation and belonging that comes from being involved in women in tech communities,” says Rachel Yonan, a sophomore pursuing a computer science degree.
Yonan says she is grateful for the chance to attend the event.
“I knew this would be a great opportunity to learn more about the industry in an inspiring and welcoming environment where everyone is encouraged to be themselves and celebrate what makes them stand out,” she says.
A celebration rooted in a legacy of breaking barriers
The conference honors the trailblazing work of Grace Hopper — computer science pioneer, inventor of the compiler, Navy rear admiral and co-creator of foundational programming languages like COBOL. Hopper championed the belief that programming should be accessible and intuitive, helping shape the modern computing landscape.
That same spirit animates the celebration founded in her honor in 1994 by Anita Borg and Telle Whitney to elevate women in computing. What began as a 500-person gathering has become the largest conference of its kind, offering hundreds of sessions, technical workshops, a massive career fair and an environment intentionally designed to cultivate belonging.
A dream years in the making
For Jameela Kauser, a computer science senior, attending the GHC wasn’t just an opportunity. It was a long-standing dream.
“I first heard about the GHC back in India almost five years ago,” she says. “My sister told me about the conference and that the school offers scholarships to attend. From that moment, going to GHC became a goal I quietly but very intentionally carried with me.”
When she didn’t earn a scholarship as a first-year student, she took it as motivation rather than defeat.
“Instead of feeling discouraged, I saw it as a sign that I wasn’t ‘there yet,’” Kauser says. “Over the next few years, I worked on myself, built a stronger portfolio and earned the credibility and mentorship of the faculty.”
When her acceptance email arrived, she thought it was too good to be true.
“I genuinely thought it was a phishing scam,” she says with a laugh. “I checked the sender’s address three times. When I confirmed it was real, I called my sister, and we were both screaming on the phone.”
For Kauser, the conference carried profound emotional weight.
“As a Muslim woman from a background where opportunities in tech were scarce and encouragement even scarcer, attending a global conference centered around empowering women in technology felt monumental,” she says.
Learning from leaders, finding community
Both Kauser and Yonan recalled sessions that resonated deeply.
Kauser described being especially moved by Bloomberg engineers who spoke on transitioning from academic coding to industry environments.
“Hearing directly from engineers who were in our shoes not too long ago was grounding and motivating,” she says. “It made industry engineering feel both more real and more achievable.”
Yonan, who is active in ASU’s Software Developers Association and Women in Computer Science student organizations, found herself energized by the wealth of topics discussed at the conference.
“I learned so much and explored essential topics in machine learning, career advancement, finance and software through speaker sessions and conversations with engineers.”
Kauser’s most emotional moment came as she entered the opening keynote.
“The purple and pink lights, the music and thousands of women in tech in one room. I was overwhelmed in the best way, and honestly, I teared up,” Kauser says.
She held close a message from Brenda Darden Wilkerson, president and CEO of AnitaB.org.
“Setbacks aren’t endings,” Wilkerson told the crowd. “They’re the starting points of everything meaningful.”
“That line rooted itself in me,” Kauser says.
Career clarity and lasting impact
The students left Chicago with more than memories: They left with direction.
“The GHC truly shifted the way I think about studying computer science and envisioning my future,” Kauser says.
Kauser now hopes to become a backend or platform engineer and credits the conference with reinforcing her sense of belonging. A powerful moment came when she saw a woman wearing a hijab representing a major tech company at the GHC Talent Expo. Their connection, she says, became both mentorship and friendship.
Yonan reflected on how industry exposure strengthened her aspirations as well.
“I interviewed with Bank of America, where I gained valuable insight on the growing impact of artificial intelligence and the current evolution of cybersecurity,” she says. “This experience motivated me to bring that same energy and enthusiasm back to ASU and its tech communities.”
Empowering students through support
The GHC scholarship program is led by Teaching Professor Farideh Tadayon-Navabi and Associate Teaching Professor Samira Ghayekhloo, both computer science and engineering faculty members in the Fulton Schools. As mentors, they are deeply committed to uplifting women in computing.
“When students see thousands of people who look like them thriving in tech, it changes what they believe is possible,” Tadayon-Navabi says. “The GHC gives them not just professional skills, but a sense of community that can be life changing.”
Ross Maciejewski, director of the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, says that Fulton Schools supports these scholarships to ensure access for students who might not otherwise be able to attend.
“Our students are the innovators who will define the next era of computing,” he says. “When we help them access opportunities like the GHC, we’re not just supporting their careers. We’re building a stronger, brighter future for the entire field.”
For the ASU students who attended, including Kauser and Yonan, “Unbound” wasn’t just a theme. It became a lived experience — one that expanded their confidence, connections and vision of what’s possible.
