Finding Community in Computer Science

Neither Anita Lam nor Alexis Lee arrived at Tufts planning to study computer science.

Lam, A21, intended to major in cognitive and brain science. Lee, A27, expected to pursue political science. Both wandered into introductory computer science courses almost incidentally—and, unexpectedly, found themselves drawn in.

For Lam, the turning point came when she discovered a welcoming environment that made her feel she belonged.

“What made me fall in love with CS was the community,” Lam says. “I started going to meetings, events, women-in-tech conferences, and I realized there were other women who had walked into the same male-dominated spaces I had, and who understood what that felt like.”

Years later, that experience would come full circle through a mentorship relationship that Lam has established with Lee, who’s a current computer science student. Paired through Tufts’ Women in Computer Science (WiCS)—a student organization that connects women and gender-marginalized students across class years and career stages through community-building, professional development, and mentorship—the two have met regularly to talk through the challenges of navigating the field.

Their conversations are mutually beneficial, according to both mentor and mentee, as they have offered Lee practical guidance and have given Lam a way to extend the support that once shaped her own path.

Leaning on—and Becoming—a Role Model

When Lam became involved in WiCS as an undergraduate, the group did not yet offer a formal mentoring program. Instead, she found guidance through other students who served as role models and helped her imagine what a future in the field might look like.

A pivotal moment came when she attended a talk by a recent alumna who was working in cybersecurity.

“Before that, I didn’t really know it was possible to work at the intersection of technology, policy, and law,” Lam says. “That alum helped me figure out what my passions are. She also showed me how important it is to help guide others who come after you.”

Today, Lam is pursuing a law degree at the University of California, Berkeley. As she works toward that goal, she has been drawn back to the kind of mentorship that once helped her imagine what was possible.

“One of my favorite parts of mentoring Alexis has been seeing what she is excited about and figuring out how I can help support that,” she says.

For Lee, the WiCS mentorship offered a chance to step back from classes and begin thinking seriously about what a future in computer science might look like.

“The program has a lot of structure, which helped me,” she says, especially given that she pivoted to computer science unexpectedly. “It also gave me the chance to have one-on-one conversations with Anita that I wouldn’t have had otherwise.”

One meeting in particular stands out. During a video call, Lee shared her résumé with Lam, who then spent nearly an hour walking through it line by line, clarifying language, asking questions, and translating between academic experience and industry expectations.

“At first, it was a little intimidating,” Lee says. “There was so much I needed to improve.” But she soon realized the conversation was less about edits than about understanding the field itself. “I learned what counts as experience, how technical work is described, and what hiring managers are looking for.”

The impact extended beyond the meeting. “Afterward, I ended up using what I learned to help my friends with their résumés, too,” Lee says.

Creating the Conditions to Succeed

Other conversations ranged from conference preparation to broader discussions about career paths and emerging interests. “Anita helped me think about how to find my niche,” Lee says. “Not just narrowing things down, but expanding, seeing what’s out there.”

Lam also extended the mentorship beyond their regular meetings, connecting Lee with a former supervisor of Lam’s to talk about the intersection of education and technology, an introduction that reshaped how Lee thought about the field.

“It made me value connections in tech a lot more,” Lee says. “There are all these smaller micro-industries you don’t really know about until someone introduces you.”

In mentoring Lee, Lam has focused on providing the kinds of conversations and encounters that once helped her see new possibilities and imagine a future she hadn’t known to look for as a student.

“I always want to use the experiences I’ve had to make things better for the next person,” she says. That has meant listening closely, paying attention to what Alexis is drawn to, and helping her think through how curiosity might translate into a next step.

Lee has found that approach transformative. “Having someone who really takes the time to listen and talk, and who wants to help create the conditions for me to succeed has been incredibly helpful,” she says.