FSU Alumna Kate Atchison was recently awarded with the University System of Maryland Board of Regents Staff Award for inclusion, multiculturalism, and social justice. 

Kate is the Associate Director for the Iribe Initiative for Inclusion and Diversity in Computing (I4C) as well as the Site Lead for Break Through Tech DC at the University of Maryland (UMD). 

When asked what this award means to her, Kate said, “I was honored to be recognized for my efforts around DEI in computing over the last few years. I always thought I would work in the non-profit sector with a focus on service and giving back. I don’t think I ever would have guessed my career, especially in higher education, would have led me here.” 

Kate received her MS in Higher Education from FSU and says that working with the Maryland Center for Women in Computing and now the Iribe Initiative for Inclusion and Diversity in Computing, enables her to use the higher education knowledge, but with a service background.

Kate leads conversations on campus as a member of the Department of Computer Science’s Diversity Committee, the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences’ (CMNS) Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Council and the CMNS TerrapinSTRONG onboarding program at UMD. 

In an article put out by UMD they say, “Atchison’s work supporting national DEI efforts in computing has led to several large grants for UMD, recruitment and retention of computing students from underrepresented populations, and several research publications and presentations. Since MCWIC’s launch in 2014, the percentage of women majoring in computer science at UMD has jumped from 15% to 21%. The department now has almost 800 women pursuing computer science degrees. In March 2021, UMD was announced a site for Break Through Tech, a national initiative that aims to propel more women and nonbinary students into tech education—and ultimately tech careers. Atchison led the grant proposal in 2020 and is currently the site lead for the Break Through Tech programs and initiatives at UMD.” 

When CCI asked about her plan to keep growing DEI efforts at UMD and beyond, Kate said, “Right now, I think most of my DEI efforts will focus on computing or STEM largely at the University of Maryland. One of the next big areas I hope to engage and improve is faculty engagement, hiring, and classroom culture. We are doing an amazing job working with current students and creating access in the K12 pipeline. I think to move the needle even further, we have to hire more diverse faculty and create a more supportive climate in the classroom. Additionally, my team is working on how we can better highlight and showcase our work at different conferences.” 

Congratulations Kate! 

To read the article by UMD click here.