{"id":5772,"date":"2023-10-24T15:05:48","date_gmt":"2023-10-24T15:05:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dev-coe-it.pantheonsite.io\/?p=5772"},"modified":"2025-01-19T18:40:57","modified_gmt":"2025-01-19T18:40:57","slug":"discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coe.ccc.edu\/tech\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\/","title":{"rendered":"Discovery Partners Institute Launches Year-Round Program to Support City College Student Pathways into Computer Science and Tech Fields"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

The CS Starter Academy <\/em>to serve more than 200 City College students through programs that address barriers and support student journeys into computer science and technology<\/em><\/p>\n

CHICAGO \u2014 The Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, today launched the CS Starter Academy, a new, comprehensive year-round program to support City Colleges of Chicago students with an interest in computer science (CS) and technology while addressing the barriers they face when transferring to four-year universities and entering computer science and tech-related fields.<\/p>\n

The program represents a partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois Chicago, and has been made possible through generous support from Google, as part of Grow with Google, the company\u2019s economic opportunity initiative.<\/p>\n

Computing is the top source of new wages in the United States, and computer science accounts for the majority of new STEM jobs, according to Code.org. However, Black and Latinx populations currently make up just 12-14% of Chicago\u2019s tech workforce overall, an inequity driven largely by inadequate and uneven access to high-quality computer science education opportunities.<\/p>\n

Community Colleges play an essential role in providing equitable access into higher education, however, fewer than 31% of these students matriculate to a four-year institution within six years due to barriers such as credit transfer issues, financial constraints, complexity of transfer processes, lack of self-efficacy, and inadequate support.<\/p>\n

The CS Starter Academy offers a holistic approach to address these issues. Its goals include increasing awareness of the diverse tech sectors in Chicago, fostering belonging and interest in four-year colleges, encouraging students to envision themselves in CS careers, and clarifying the CS pathway from community college to a four-year institution. Students will also have the opportunity to earn an industry-recognized\u00a0Google Career Certificate<\/a>, which prepares people for entry-level jobs in growing fields including cybersecurity, data analytics, and User Experience (UX) design. The program includes an employer consortium of over 150 companies \u2014 including Google \u2014 that considers graduates for relevant open roles.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe disparities in CS education have been driven by a lack of access, inclusion, and clarity about the pathways into these fields,\u201d said Stephanie DeCicco, associate director of community college programming at DPI. \u201cThis new program will create greater access for historically underrepresented groups in tech to pursue computing fields and build smoother pathways to four-year universities and into a successful career in tech.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn order to build for everyone, we need everyone,\u201d said Jessica Holberg, Google\u2019s tech education outreach lead in Chicago. \u201cCS Starter Academy is a needed program to work toward a Chicago tech workforce that is representative of Chicago. Google is proud to partner with DPI and City Colleges of Chicago to ensure that students access and thrive in a high-quality computing education.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe CS Starter Academy will go a long way in supporting students who are interested in computer science and technology here at City Colleges,\u201d said Chancellor Juan Salgado, City Colleges of Chicago. \u201cCommunity colleges are uniquely positioned to connect more Black and Latinx students to opportunities, and to creating equity in STEM fields. We are grateful to partner with DPI to do this important work together.\u201d<\/p>\n

The program offers individual academic advising, near-peer mentoring, support services, and resource materials to simplify the complexities of CS transfer, including credit transfer and financial aid. The program targets community college students on a four-year pathway, incoming and rising sophomores at City Colleges of Chicago, and past and current students participating in other DPI education programs such as Digital Bridge and Digital Scholars.<\/p>\n

The program will serve 40 students in a cohort-based set of monthly activities and workshops that also are open to other City College students, bringing total anticipated reach to more than 200 students. Programming will run from fall 2023 through summer 2024, with more than 80% of students intending to transfer to four-year institutions.<\/p>\n

Students who actively participate in the CS Starter Academy cohort can earn stipends that offset missed employment opportunities due to their commitment to the program.<\/p>\n

The CS Starter Academy will directly benefit Chicago and greater Chicago-area community college students, with a focus on Black, Latinx, female, first-generation, and underrepresented groups in tech. The success of the CS Starter Academy hinges on partnerships with DPI, City Colleges of Chicago, and other support organizations in Chicago to ensure that the academy identifies and serves its target student population effectively.<\/p>\n

This program builds on DPI\u2019s suite of programs for K-12 and community college students as part of its Pritzker Tech Talent Labs Community Education Unit. This includes the Digital Explorers program for middle school students; Discover Computing, run in partnership with Wright College and Google, for ninth and tenth graders; and the summer Digital Scholars program, in partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago\u2019s CHANCE program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign\u2019s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the Grainger College of Engineering, for high school students to take college-level courses in computer science, data science, electrical and computer engineering, and mobile app development.<\/p>\n

For more information about the program, or to get involved, contact Stephanie DeCicco, associate director, Community College Partnership at DPI at decicco@uillinois.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

About DPI<\/strong><\/p>\n

Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, empowers people to jumpstart their tech careers or companies in Chicago. DPI does three things: Train people for high-demand tech jobs; conduct applied R&D; and support business building. With state investment, an innovation district in development, and a high-powered network of university partners regionally and internationally, DPI has the resources to attract, develop, retain, and leverage the most ambitious talent in Chicago to address global challenges in our environment, agriculture, industry, life sciences, and shared digital future. Learn more at https:\/\/dpi.uillinois.edu\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The CS Starter Academy to serve more than 200 City College students through programs that address barriers and support student journeys into computer science and technology
\nCHICAGO \u2014 The Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, today launched the CS Starter Academy, a new, comprehensive year-round program to support City Colleges of Chicago students with an interest in computer science (CS) and technology while addressing the barriers they face when transferring to four-year universities and entering computer science and tech-related fields.
\nThe program represents a partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois Chicago, and has been made possible through generous support from Google, as part of Grow with Google, the company\u2019s economic opportunity initiative.
\nComputing is the top source of new wages in the United States, and computer science accounts for the majority of new STEM jobs, according to Code.org. However, Black and Latinx populations currently make up just 12-14% of Chicago\u2019s tech workforce overall, an inequity driven largely by inadequate and uneven access to high-quality computer science education opportunities.
\nCommunity Colleges play an essential role in providing equitable access into higher education, however, fewer than 31% of these students matriculate to a four-year institution within six years due to barriers such as credit transfer issues, financial constraints, complexity of transfer processes, lack of self-efficacy, and inadequate support.
\nThe CS Starter Academy offers a holistic approach to address these issues. Its goals include increasing awareness of the diverse tech sectors in Chicago, fostering belonging and interest in four-year colleges, encouraging students to envision themselves in CS careers, and clarifying the CS pathway from community college to a four-year institution. Students will also have the opportunity to earn an industry-recognized\u00a0Google Career Certificate, which prepares people for entry-level jobs in growing fields including cybersecurity, data analytics, and User Experience (UX) design. The program includes an employer consortium of over 150 companies \u2014 including Google \u2014 that considers graduates for relevant open roles.
\n\u201cThe disparities in CS education have been driven by a lack of access, inclusion, and clarity about the pathways into these fields,\u201d said Stephanie DeCicco, associate director of community college programming at DPI. \u201cThis new program will create greater access for historically underrepresented groups in tech to pursue computing fields and build smoother pathways to four-year universities and into a successful career in tech.\u201d
\n\u201cIn order to build for everyone, we need everyone,\u201d said Jessica Holberg, Google\u2019s tech education outreach lead in Chicago. \u201cCS Starter Academy is a needed program to work toward a Chicago tech workforce that is representative of Chicago. Google is proud to partner with DPI and City Colleges of Chicago to ensure that students access and thrive in a high-quality computing education.\u201d
\n\u201cThe CS Starter Academy will go a long way in supporting students who are interested in computer science and technology here at City Colleges,\u201d said Chancellor Juan Salgado, City Colleges of Chicago. \u201cCommunity colleges are uniquely positioned to connect more Black and Latinx students to opportunities, and to creating equity in STEM fields. We are grateful to partner with DPI to do this important work together.\u201d
\nThe program offers individual academic advising, near-peer mentoring, support services, and resource materials to simplify the complexities of CS transfer, including credit transfer and financial aid. The program targets community college students on a four-year pathway, incoming and rising sophomores at City Colleges of Chicago, and past and current students participating in other DPI education programs such as Digital Bridge and Digital Scholars.
\nThe program will serve 40 students in a cohort-based set of monthly activities and workshops that also are open to other City College students, bringing total anticipated reach to more than 200 students. Programming will run from fall 2023 through summer 2024, with more than 80% of students intending to transfer to four-year institutions.
\nStudents who actively participate in the CS Starter Academy cohort can earn stipends that offset missed employment opportunities due to their commitment to the program.
\nThe CS Starter Academy will directly benefit Chicago and greater Chicago-area community college students, with a focus on Black, Latinx, female, first-generation, and underrepresented groups in tech. The success of the CS Starter Academy hinges on partnerships with DPI, City Colleges of Chicago, and other support organizations in Chicago to ensure that the academy identifies and serves its target student population effectively.
\nThis program builds on DPI\u2019s suite of programs for K-12 and community college students as part of its Pritzker Tech Talent Labs Community Education Unit. This includes the Digital Explorers program for middle school students; Discover Computing, run in partnership with Wright College and Google, for ninth and tenth graders; and the summer Digital Scholars program, in partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago\u2019s CHANCE program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign\u2019s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the Grainger College of Engineering, for high school students to take college-level courses in computer science, data science, electrical and computer engineering, and mobile app development.
\nFor more information about the program, or to get involved, contact Stephanie DeCicco, associate director, Community College Partnership at DPI at decicco@uillinois.edu.
\nAbout DPI
\nDiscovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, empowers people to jumpstart their tech careers or companies in Chicago. DPI does three things: Train people for high-demand tech jobs; conduct applied R&D; and support business building. With state investment, an innovation district in development, and a high-powered network of university partners regionally and internationally, DPI has the resources to attract, develop, retain, and leverage the most ambitious talent in Chicago to address global challenges in our environment, agriculture, industry, life sciences, and shared digital future. Learn more at https:\/\/dpi.uillinois.edu\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5774,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5772","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nDiscovery Partners Institute Launches Year-Round Program to Support City College Student Pathways into Computer Science and Tech Fields - Information Technology at City Colleges of Chicago<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/colleges.ccc.edu\/2023\/10\/24\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Discovery Partners Institute Launches Year-Round Program to Support City College Student Pathways into Computer Science and Tech Fields\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The CS Starter Academy to serve more than 200 City College students through programs that address barriers and support student journeys into computer science and technology CHICAGO \u2014 The Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, today launched the CS Starter Academy, a new, comprehensive year-round program to support City Colleges of Chicago students with an interest in computer science (CS) and technology while addressing the barriers they face when transferring to four-year universities and entering computer science and tech-related fields. The program represents a partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois Chicago, and has been made possible through generous support from Google, as part of Grow with Google, the company\u2019s economic opportunity initiative. Computing is the top source of new wages in the United States, and computer science accounts for the majority of new STEM jobs, according to Code.org. However, Black and Latinx populations currently make up just 12-14% of Chicago\u2019s tech workforce overall, an inequity driven largely by inadequate and uneven access to high-quality computer science education opportunities. Community Colleges play an essential role in providing equitable access into higher education, however, fewer than 31% of these students matriculate to a four-year institution within six years due to barriers such as credit transfer issues, financial constraints, complexity of transfer processes, lack of self-efficacy, and inadequate support. The CS Starter Academy offers a holistic approach to address these issues. Its goals include increasing awareness of the diverse tech sectors in Chicago, fostering belonging and interest in four-year colleges, encouraging students to envision themselves in CS careers, and clarifying the CS pathway from community college to a four-year institution. Students will also have the opportunity to earn an industry-recognized\u00a0Google Career Certificate, which prepares people for entry-level jobs in growing fields including cybersecurity, data analytics, and User Experience (UX) design. The program includes an employer consortium of over 150 companies \u2014 including Google \u2014 that considers graduates for relevant open roles. \u201cThe disparities in CS education have been driven by a lack of access, inclusion, and clarity about the pathways into these fields,\u201d said Stephanie DeCicco, associate director of community college programming at DPI. \u201cThis new program will create greater access for historically underrepresented groups in tech to pursue computing fields and build smoother pathways to four-year universities and into a successful career in tech.\u201d \u201cIn order to build for everyone, we need everyone,\u201d said Jessica Holberg, Google\u2019s tech education outreach lead in Chicago. \u201cCS Starter Academy is a needed program to work toward a Chicago tech workforce that is representative of Chicago. Google is proud to partner with DPI and City Colleges of Chicago to ensure that students access and thrive in a high-quality computing education.\u201d \u201cThe CS Starter Academy will go a long way in supporting students who are interested in computer science and technology here at City Colleges,\u201d said Chancellor Juan Salgado, City Colleges of Chicago. \u201cCommunity colleges are uniquely positioned to connect more Black and Latinx students to opportunities, and to creating equity in STEM fields. We are grateful to partner with DPI to do this important work together.\u201d The program offers individual academic advising, near-peer mentoring, support services, and resource materials to simplify the complexities of CS transfer, including credit transfer and financial aid. The program targets community college students on a four-year pathway, incoming and rising sophomores at City Colleges of Chicago, and past and current students participating in other DPI education programs such as Digital Bridge and Digital Scholars. The program will serve 40 students in a cohort-based set of monthly activities and workshops that also are open to other City College students, bringing total anticipated reach to more than 200 students. Programming will run from fall 2023 through summer 2024, with more than 80% of students intending to transfer to four-year institutions. Students who actively participate in the CS Starter Academy cohort can earn stipends that offset missed employment opportunities due to their commitment to the program. The CS Starter Academy will directly benefit Chicago and greater Chicago-area community college students, with a focus on Black, Latinx, female, first-generation, and underrepresented groups in tech. The success of the CS Starter Academy hinges on partnerships with DPI, City Colleges of Chicago, and other support organizations in Chicago to ensure that the academy identifies and serves its target student population effectively. This program builds on DPI\u2019s suite of programs for K-12 and community college students as part of its Pritzker Tech Talent Labs Community Education Unit. This includes the Digital Explorers program for middle school students; Discover Computing, run in partnership with Wright College and Google, for ninth and tenth graders; and the summer Digital Scholars program, in partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago\u2019s CHANCE program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign\u2019s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the Grainger College of Engineering, for high school students to take college-level courses in computer science, data science, electrical and computer engineering, and mobile app development. For more information about the program, or to get involved, contact Stephanie DeCicco, associate director, Community College Partnership at DPI at decicco@uillinois.edu. About DPI Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, empowers people to jumpstart their tech careers or companies in Chicago. DPI does three things: Train people for high-demand tech jobs; conduct applied R&D; and support business building. With state investment, an innovation district in development, and a high-powered network of university partners regionally and internationally, DPI has the resources to attract, develop, retain, and leverage the most ambitious talent in Chicago to address global challenges in our environment, agriculture, industry, life sciences, and shared digital future. Learn more at https:\/\/dpi.uillinois.edu\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/colleges.ccc.edu\/2023\/10\/24\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Information Technology at City Colleges of Chicago\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-10-24T15:05:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-01-19T18:40:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/coe.ccc.edu\/tech\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/10\/News-Square-DPI.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Edith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Edith\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/colleges.ccc.edu\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/24\\\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coe.ccc.edu\\\/tech\\\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Edith\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coe.ccc.edu\\\/tech\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c7a9e1d8842203519972926da964881b\"},\"headline\":\"Discovery Partners Institute Launches Year-Round Program to Support City College Student Pathways into Computer Science and Tech Fields\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-10-24T15:05:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-01-19T18:40:57+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coe.ccc.edu\\\/tech\\\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":967,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/colleges.ccc.edu\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/24\\\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coe.ccc.edu\\\/tech\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/2\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/News-Square-DPI.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coe.ccc.edu\\\/tech\\\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/colleges.ccc.edu\\\/2023\\\/10\\\/24\\\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\\\/\",\"name\":\"Discovery Partners Institute Launches Year-Round Program to Support City College Student Pathways into Computer Science and Tech Fields - 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Information Technology at City Colleges of Chicago","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/colleges.ccc.edu\/2023\/10\/24\/discovery-partners-institute-launches-year-round-program-to-support-city-college-student-pathways-into-computer-science-and-tech-fields\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Discovery Partners Institute Launches Year-Round Program to Support City College Student Pathways into Computer Science and Tech Fields","og_description":"The CS Starter Academy to serve more than 200 City College students through programs that address barriers and support student journeys into computer science and technology CHICAGO \u2014 The Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, today launched the CS Starter Academy, a new, comprehensive year-round program to support City Colleges of Chicago students with an interest in computer science (CS) and technology while addressing the barriers they face when transferring to four-year universities and entering computer science and tech-related fields. The program represents a partnership with the City Colleges of Chicago, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the University of Illinois Chicago, and has been made possible through generous support from Google, as part of Grow with Google, the company\u2019s economic opportunity initiative. Computing is the top source of new wages in the United States, and computer science accounts for the majority of new STEM jobs, according to Code.org. However, Black and Latinx populations currently make up just 12-14% of Chicago\u2019s tech workforce overall, an inequity driven largely by inadequate and uneven access to high-quality computer science education opportunities. Community Colleges play an essential role in providing equitable access into higher education, however, fewer than 31% of these students matriculate to a four-year institution within six years due to barriers such as credit transfer issues, financial constraints, complexity of transfer processes, lack of self-efficacy, and inadequate support. The CS Starter Academy offers a holistic approach to address these issues. Its goals include increasing awareness of the diverse tech sectors in Chicago, fostering belonging and interest in four-year colleges, encouraging students to envision themselves in CS careers, and clarifying the CS pathway from community college to a four-year institution. Students will also have the opportunity to earn an industry-recognized\u00a0Google Career Certificate, which prepares people for entry-level jobs in growing fields including cybersecurity, data analytics, and User Experience (UX) design. The program includes an employer consortium of over 150 companies \u2014 including Google \u2014 that considers graduates for relevant open roles. \u201cThe disparities in CS education have been driven by a lack of access, inclusion, and clarity about the pathways into these fields,\u201d said Stephanie DeCicco, associate director of community college programming at DPI. \u201cThis new program will create greater access for historically underrepresented groups in tech to pursue computing fields and build smoother pathways to four-year universities and into a successful career in tech.\u201d \u201cIn order to build for everyone, we need everyone,\u201d said Jessica Holberg, Google\u2019s tech education outreach lead in Chicago. \u201cCS Starter Academy is a needed program to work toward a Chicago tech workforce that is representative of Chicago. Google is proud to partner with DPI and City Colleges of Chicago to ensure that students access and thrive in a high-quality computing education.\u201d \u201cThe CS Starter Academy will go a long way in supporting students who are interested in computer science and technology here at City Colleges,\u201d said Chancellor Juan Salgado, City Colleges of Chicago. \u201cCommunity colleges are uniquely positioned to connect more Black and Latinx students to opportunities, and to creating equity in STEM fields. We are grateful to partner with DPI to do this important work together.\u201d The program offers individual academic advising, near-peer mentoring, support services, and resource materials to simplify the complexities of CS transfer, including credit transfer and financial aid. The program targets community college students on a four-year pathway, incoming and rising sophomores at City Colleges of Chicago, and past and current students participating in other DPI education programs such as Digital Bridge and Digital Scholars. The program will serve 40 students in a cohort-based set of monthly activities and workshops that also are open to other City College students, bringing total anticipated reach to more than 200 students. Programming will run from fall 2023 through summer 2024, with more than 80% of students intending to transfer to four-year institutions. Students who actively participate in the CS Starter Academy cohort can earn stipends that offset missed employment opportunities due to their commitment to the program. The CS Starter Academy will directly benefit Chicago and greater Chicago-area community college students, with a focus on Black, Latinx, female, first-generation, and underrepresented groups in tech. The success of the CS Starter Academy hinges on partnerships with DPI, City Colleges of Chicago, and other support organizations in Chicago to ensure that the academy identifies and serves its target student population effectively. This program builds on DPI\u2019s suite of programs for K-12 and community college students as part of its Pritzker Tech Talent Labs Community Education Unit. This includes the Digital Explorers program for middle school students; Discover Computing, run in partnership with Wright College and Google, for ninth and tenth graders; and the summer Digital Scholars program, in partnership with the University of Illinois Chicago\u2019s CHANCE program, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign\u2019s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences and the Grainger College of Engineering, for high school students to take college-level courses in computer science, data science, electrical and computer engineering, and mobile app development. For more information about the program, or to get involved, contact Stephanie DeCicco, associate director, Community College Partnership at DPI at decicco@uillinois.edu. About DPI Discovery Partners Institute, part of the University of Illinois System, empowers people to jumpstart their tech careers or companies in Chicago. DPI does three things: Train people for high-demand tech jobs; conduct applied R&D; and support business building. With state investment, an innovation district in development, and a high-powered network of university partners regionally and internationally, DPI has the resources to attract, develop, retain, and leverage the most ambitious talent in Chicago to address global challenges in our environment, agriculture, industry, life sciences, and shared digital future. 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