Category Archives: AnnE

What you missed if you didn’t get to know Lesley Bonds…

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I know you all diligently read Beyond the Elms and greatly appreciate the work the bloggers put into each of our posts (just go with me here…). What you might not know, is that there’s a fabulous curator of this blog who edits all our posts, constantly advises and inspires us, and finds the most entertaining gifs for our weekly emails. Her name is Lesley Bonds and tomorrow is her last day at Scripps because it was unfair of us to hog all of her amazingness for 3 years. She’s accepted a position in which she will be directing a program for first generation college students. Personally, I’m beyond excited that she’s pursuing work that she loves and she’s great at, because it means all of the advice she’s given me over the years, to refuse to settle and continue looking for exciting opportunities, hasn’t been BS.

That said, CP&R (and Scripps as a whole) isn’t going to be the same without her and we want to make sure she realizes the impact she’s had. If you didn’t get a chance to meet our resident intersectional-feminist, empowering, and generally wonderful role-model, here’s what you missed out on:

“Three years ago, I met with Lesley for the first time at CP&R. As an already anxious first year, the support she showed for my professional and personal well being meant more than words can describe. Lesley not only helped me write my first resume and cover letter, but she showed me how to navigate the larger job world. Her advice and expertise has definitely helped me get where I am today. ” – Lily Comba

“I think Lesley is great because she made CP&R so welcoming during my first year as a low income student of color. She played a big role in making me realize that I can major in whatever I want and still have stability and a bunch of career options. She also directed me to SCORE, different socially aware internship sites, and helped me find my interest in higher education/student affairs. Also, she has been one of my go to people whenever I’ve had unexpected existential crisis. 🙂 ” – Chandra Dickey

“I’ve been meeting with Lesley since the beginning of the year and she’s such an amazing Career Counselor and person! Lesley is so helpful and just understands students–her ability to connect with students is amazing. From meeting with her and working with her on Beyond the Elms, I know that Lesley a positive impact anywhere and everywhere she goes. But I will definitely miss her advice, GIFs, and positive attitude.” – Elisabeth Mayer

“Lesley is awesome in every sense. From her love of The Beatles (that may surpass my own), to her adorable collection of cat pictures, to her way of finding the perfect gifs for every situation, Lesley is just amazing. Scripps and I will miss her greatly!” – Isabella Levin

“Lesley reassured me that my feminist values can (and should!) have a place in any job I pursued and showed me how to let that structure me search. She told me it was okay to ask employers hard questions about their social justice orientation when it mattered to me- without that guidance I might have ended up in a position that didn’t value my feminisms!” – Claire Hirschberg

“Lesley helped me stay focused and calm during one of the most stressful times in my life! She always pointed out details I might have not otherwise considered, which helped me get noticed by companies I NEVER thought would look at me twice. It’s sad to see her go, but I am so excited to see what she does next!” – Megan Goldman

“Lesley always knows to deliver some sassy feminist one-liners to brighten your day no matter how stressed you are about the job search!” – Rachel Grate

“Lesley is amazing at providing support and guidance that meets students where we are in the cycle of figuring our life/the next 2 months out. I feel like my time working with Lesley is like career personal training–every session I feel more confident and better prepared to tackle career hurdles and reach my goals.” – Mia Shackelford

“Working with Lesley has taught me so much about how to advocate for myself personally an professionally and how to identify who I want to be in this world. Whenever I’m lost or confused about something–be it job applications and networking or personal life–I literally think WWLD (What Would Lesley Do)?” – Laurel Schwartz

Thank you so much for everything Lesley. We’re going to miss you so much. Enjoy your life after Scripps beyond the elms. Please come visit soon.

Startup Diversity, Part II: How do we fix it?

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So last week I dropped some earth-shattering knowledge on y’all and told you that the tech industry isn’t exactly diverse or inclusive. (Wait, that wasn’t surprising? My bad…) Hopefully my tantalizing cliffhanger was at least interesting enough to convince you to come back and read more. Here’s hoping I come through for you…

HOW DO WE DO IT?

I don’t have all the answers, in fact, I may not have any answers. I have ideas, I have inspiring people in my life who help me create more, and I have knowledge from organizations that have already started this work. I can’t wait to work within the industry to test my ideas, find out what works and doesn’t work, and continually create new solutions. But until then, this is what I’ve got:

1) Let’s talk.

I don’t mean, “Let’s have sensitivity training!” or “Let’s publish our diversity statistics and make a PR campaign!” I mean we should actually talk about why (and how) the tech industry is a White Boys’ Club. Talk about what you see, and don’t see, within your company. Talk about it with your peers but also your bosses; talk about it with other developers but also recruiters. There’s this idea that we need to tiptoe around diversity issues, but I think that makes the problem worse. We have biases (yes, all of us) about who belongs in tech. We need to address these biases and one way to do that is to talk about it, to ask questions, and to start the discussions. You can talk about how the internal culture may not be inclusive for all identities, how recruiting processes limit the few candidates of color who receive interviews, how position descriptions can be gendered, or how just about everyone but white men are weeded out of STEM tracks (and accelerated classes!) even before college. All you have to do is start the conversation… and don’t let it end.

2) Change how you recruit.

Recruiters and talent scouts, this one’s for you. Tech hires from particular sources, we all know that, but if you keep hiring from the same sources, you’ll keep seeing the same results. Find out what schools encourage women to pursue technical degrees (HMC SHOUT OUT!!!) and recruit there. Look for schools that have CS and Engineering majors and a significant population of people of color. Next, keep in mind how traditionally underrepresented groups will read your position descriptions. who your position descriptions are written for. And if you want to hire for diversity, say it and own it. Of course, don’t say you’re hiring for diversity because you need to improve statistics, because very few people are interested in being simply a percentage. Explain what you’re doing in regards to diversity and inclusion at your company and how hiring will affect these efforts. When underrepresented groups are looking at your careers page and seeing a lot of white men’s faces, they might want to know that you are looking outside of the traditional mold. (It makes me feel better about applying!) As far as the application process, think about how the applicant may feel in particular settings (check out these suggestions!) but also keep in mind your own biases. Scripps student Mia Shackelford has a simple yet brilliant suggestion for reducing biases that made me wonder why it hasn’t be implemented already: blind first round recruiting. No names, pictures, or other identifying features attached to first round reviews of applicants. This way, you avoid biases preventing you from hiring candidates that may not be the traditional “fit”.

3) Learn from others.

Fortunately there are many organizations who care about diversity in tech – not just companies like Google and Facebook who have widely publicized diversity initiatives. There are many organizations working to enhance diversity within the tech industry and they have opportunities to volunteer and partner with them. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but some examples are: Black Girls Code, CODE2040, STEAM:CODERS, Pipeline Fellowship, Lesbians Who Tech, Latinas in Computing, and Ada Initiative. These organizations are amazing, but they can’t be expected to do it alone, which is why tech companies ought to learn from them and work with them.

It’s not perfect; it’s not everything. But it’s a start. Last week, I promised ways that we can start to fix this, so I hope this can serve as the beginning to something awesome! I’d love to hear what else you think the tech industry can do to lose its Boys’ Club rep and start to live up to my high expectations by establishing a diverse space and creating opportunities for all people – not just white men.

Startup Diversity, Part I: What’s (not) Happening?

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I love the tech industry. I fell in love with it around the beginning of my junior year and I can’t tell you exactly why, because there are so many things that frustrate me about it (enough to write a thesis on… literally). But there’s something incredibly exciting about how fast it moves, how quickly companies compete with each other, how determined designers and developers are to create the best product, and how dedicated every single person in the company is to the organization and the products. You live and die with the organization’s successes and failures, particularly in startups. I’m sure it’s beyond exhausting, but it’s also thrilling, and I can’t wait to officially be a part of it.

Instead of saving up to buy “business casual” pencil skirts that I hate and heels that will ensure that I’m limping by the end of the day, I get to roll up to the office in my jeans and sandals. Sure, I might be staring at my computer for most of the day, but I’ll probably be sitting on a yoga ball or laying on a couch while I do it. I’m not worried about missing my friend’s wedding, my cousin’s graduation, or quality time with my family because many tech companies have unlimited vacation time. I will be surrounded by intelligent people who are as eager to learn about my background in cognitive psych and feminist studies as they are to teach me about JavaScript syntax. I’ve loved college because I’m constantly pushed to be better, and I think I’ll find the same inspiration during my career in the tech industry.

I’m telling you all of this partially because I’m so excited to be part of this industry, but also because I know that not everyone gets to look forward to these perks after graduation. The tech industry could open up amazing opportunities for people who often experience oppression in the workplace. This oppression comes in many forms, such as lacking equal maternity and paternity leave, health care benefits for same-sex partners, disability accommodations, transportation and relocation assistance, and other seemingly basic policies that could ensure an inclusive and welcoming culture.

Part of why I love the tech industry is because it’s perfectly poised to alleviate and/or eradicate these workplace oppressions. There’s unlimited vacation which creates some accommodations for people with disabilities as well as provides both maternity and paternity leave. Most tech companies have health care plans that cover partners and families. Many tech companies provide transportation or financial assistance for commuters. Finally, tech companies often focus on having a fun and exciting company culture where everyone feels welcome.

The tech industry could represent an opportunity for a successful career to people who may not have that chance in other industries because of biases related to their race, gender, sexuality, class, and ability, etc. Nevertheless, despite having the potential to transform the future of businesses into a place for equal representation, the tech industry is anything but diverse. The tech industry tends to hire people that look like they “fit” in the industry, and that often means they look like the majority of people within the industry: straight, white men. We need to start actively working to change this because, frankly, it’s the right thing to do. I’m sick of having to say “It’s good for your business” or “You’ll make more money” or “You’ll have better products.” YOU WILL. But that’s not the reason to do it.

I expect a lot more from the industry that has inspired me for over a year and a half. I can’t be one of the only people who would be excited to wear jeans to work or doesn’t want to worry about traveling to see her family. So many people are being denied opportunities to be a part of this exciting industry because they don’t “look the part.” Consequently, the tech industry is missing out on amazing talent. It’s time to address this. It shouldn’t be a part of “Next Year’s Goals” or in a small, hidden subsection in companies’ mission statements. It needs to be big, audacious, and have some flashing lights. Also, it needs to happen now.

And I have some ideas…

(To be continued in Part II.)

We’re All Imposters

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The other day I sat in the Student Union surrounded by Scripps students desperately trying to finish a CS5 problem set. We were working together, asking questions, offering help, and doing all of it unapologetically. As we were finishing up, I asked the group what I should write my blog post about for the week. One of the most intelligent and motivated women I know responded immediately, “IMPOSTER SYNDROME.” Everyone agreed emphatically.

The woman who said that is a senior who I’m incredibly lucky to call my friend. She’s finished her thesis. She has an amazing job secured, a job that she’s excited about, and a job that she’ll be so good at. Nonetheless, she’s the one who suggested that I write about imposter syndrome.

This group of students helped me finish a problem I had absolutely no idea how to solve. One student, who had never met me before, talked me through the calculus involved in one problem, and several other students admonished me every time I said something along the lines of, “Sorry… Math isn’t my thing.” Even still, they wanted me to write about imposter syndrome…

Last semester, Peggy McIntosh was on campus and I had the opportunity to sit in on her “fraudulence and imposter syndrome” workshop. It was life changing, and I’m not exaggerating.

I’d always assumed that imposter syndrome is something that I need to overcome. Maybe I just need to “lean in.” I can’t think like this; I have to think like a man would. I’ll act like the men do because that’s how I’ll move up; when I get there, I’ll finally be confident.

That’s not how McIntosh encouraged us to think about imposter syndrome.

She explained that she understands imposter syndrome by using a Möbius strip, which takes two “opposing” sides, and puts them on the same side.

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Definitive proof that crafts always look better on Pinterest…

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But hopefully you get the idea.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On her strip you can read, “We must not let them make us feel like frauds,” followed by, “Let us continue to spot fraudulence in the public roles we are asked to play.” To McIntosh, it’s not about ridding ourselves of imposter feelings entirely; we should absolutely work to fight against it (and all oppressions for that matter), but we should also acknowledge fraudulent feelings and question expectations that require someone to be “an expert” or be “the best”

This brings up another idea that she emphasized: we can all feel fraudulent in some ways. There’s a stereotype that imposter syndrome is for women, but like so many assumptions, we’re lacking quite a few intersections with that statement. Everyone can feel like a fraud sometimes, whether they are my brilliant friend who suggested this topic in the first place, the supportive Scripps students who got me through that problem set, or the kid in your CS5 class who is always first to respond to a question. They all feel like frauds too occasionally.

Sometimes feeling like an imposter makes me work harder, sometimes it helps me connect with people, and other times it keeps me from applying for a job I desperately want… So don’t get me wrong, imposter syndrome isn’t fun and I think if I had the choice, I’d rather get rid of it. But I don’t have that choice, so I’m going to take McIntosh’s advice. I’m going to do my best not to let them make me feel like a fraud, but I’m not going to stop noticing the fraudulence demanded by society.

So, yeah, sometimes I feel like an imposter, like they’re going to find me out, but I remind myself that I’m not the only one thinking that. My closest friends, other 5C students, my bosses, CEOs, and probably even the recruiters interviewing me feel like a fraud sometimes. EVEN PEGGY MCINTOSH, WHO HAS WRITTEN SOME OF THE MOST INFLUENTIAL ESSAYS ABOUT INTERSECTIONAL FEMINISM, FEELS LIKE A FRAUD. I guess this all means that it’s ok to feel like an imposter, just know that the person next to you feels it too, and that just because you feel it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve the opportunities you have. So keep it up, they’re not going to find you out.

Behind every great Scrippsie…

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On my second full day at Scripps, I stood outside of Clark hugging my mom and choking back tears. She was heading to the airport to fly back to Missouri and I was SO NOT READY for this reality check. I was homesick, my roommate was weird, my dorm was a labyrinth, my professors were intimidating, and I couldn’t remember anyone’s name. Yet, in a random moment of wisdom, I told my mom, “I can’t wait for 3 weeks from now.” I figured in 3 weeks homesickness would’ve worn off, my roommate’s weirdness would be less obvious, I’d be able to navigate my dorm, my professors would seem friendlier, and names would get easier.

You might be wondering why I’m telling a story from 3+ years ago? Well, I’ve thought about that moment many times over the past week. Scripps started out as this scary foreign place and some time between that hug with my mom and right now, it became my home. (In case you were wondering, it may have taken more than 3 weeks…)

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Yeah, that’s cheesy, and I’m only kind of sorry about the sappiness, because it’s what you get for reading a blog by a second semester senior.

College is an odd place where friends, family, academics, and work merge; and it’s really quite hard to separate them. Sometimes it’s awkward, like when your professor sees your running to the dining hall in your PJs because you’re about to miss breakfast or when you’re hanging out in Seal Court with your significant other and your boss walks by… But other times it’s really great.

Last week was full of reminders of the “really great.”

It’s the time of year where seniors have to start making really terrifying decisions and I can’t imagine making them without the support of the amazing people here. The weird roommate from first year is still the one who gives me pep talks when I stop believing in myself. Those people whose names I couldn’t keep track of on that first day are some of the same people I eat lunch with twice a week. I call many professors by their first names and I know to make a beeline to the FGSS office when I need advice and perspectives. I spend inordinate amounts of time in CP&R, an office that could seem scary, yet all of the staff members manage to navigate their roles as my bosses and advisors, while also being the most supportive and empowering friends/mentors I could have hoped to have.

As for the other scary aspects, I now get homesick when I leave Scripps. And in regards to the dorms, I can safely maneuver through most of them. (Though I have yet to discover where Dorsey begins and Browning ends.)

So much has changed since that second day when I hugged my mom goodbye. I gained a home, a sense of independence, and a new type of family. As awkward as it can be to merge all my worlds, it’s hard to imagine life without the weird roommate living just feet from me, or the long lunches (that consist of mostly ice cream) with my friends, or the constant inspiration I get from the CP&R staff.

I know that all of these people, and more, helped get me to where I am today and they’ll help me make it to the finish line so I can walk down Elm Tree Lawn in my green robe. So I guess I’m writing this sappy post to make sure they know that I appreciate absolutely everything they’ve done, and because even after I’m holding my diploma I don’t want to imagine my life without them.