Get Funded: OCSE Invites Student Proposals for Community Initiatives

The College of Computing’s Office of Community and Student Engagement (OCSE) empowers student initiatives through its community funding program. To support student-led projects, OCSE welcomes Computing students to pitch their ideas to seek financial support for their endeavors. 

“We are receiving applications and pitches for any intellectual pursuits a student might have that aligns with the College’s mission,” School of Computing Instruction Chair Olufisayo Omojokun said. “These pursuits will represent the College well and highlight some of the amazing things we do.”

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The office will host Pitch Thursdays as a platform for students to present their proposals to a panel of faculty and staff for review. These sessions will be held on Thursdays at 11 a.m. as needed. 

Omojokun also says larger class sizes have reduced chances for students to hone their presentation skills, making this a good opportunity for them to speak in front of others. 

“It’s crucial for students to engage in opportunities to present their ideas in front of audiences. This helps in creating a more well-rounded student,” Omojokun said.

The first step for students interested in funding is filling out the interest form here. 

Students must submit general funding requests at least two weeks and travel requests at least four weeks in advance. OCSE emphasizes the importance of submitting applications early and being punctual for pitching sessions, as this ensures ample time for review and consideration by the board.

Previously funded projects

Over the years, OCSE has funded various student projects, including attendance at hackathons, competitions, conferences, and e-sport events. 

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Among these are Stanford University’s Treehacks and Harvard University’s WECode Conference, the world’s largest student-run women in tech conference. Additionally, OCSE has supported students who participated in Map the System, a global learning program and social innovation competition, as well as Grace Hopper and Tapia Conferences to name a few. 

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“We want to ensure students are getting the assistance they need to participate in experiences they want to be a part of. Computer science and computational media students are encouraged to take advantage of the community funding opportunities available to them,” College of Computing Director of Community and Student Enrichment Troy Peace said.

OCSE aims to sponsor a variety of projects to help students get involved. For information on other community-building initiatives, visit the College of Computing Community page here.