Winter Long Weekend, College Counseling STEM Program

offICe of College CounselIng hosts VIRtuAl pRogRAm ABout stem CAReeRs

The Office of College Counseling hosted a virtual program for fourth, fifth, and sixth form students interested in STEM careers on February 22. The program was led by Jordan Walendom '19, a junior at Brown University studying Computer Science who is also a Google Associate Project Manager Intern, and Jared Zhang '19, a junior at the University of Michigan studying Computer Science who is also an Amazon Software Development Engineer Intern.

The program covered a wide variety of topics including how to search for intern opportunities, how to apply for internships, and interview tips. They also talked about how specific Saint James offerings, such as AP Computer Science and working in the FAB Lab, helped them identify their interest in coding. "I think Saint James gave me a community where I was able to challenge myself and grow intellectually," said Jared. "It also gave me an avenue to explore my STEM interests through AP Computer Science, which eventually led me to choose a career path in software engineering."

Jordan said his friendship with Jared at Saint James and their shared interest in computer science helped him to identify coding as a suitable career path. "We had been pushing each other academically since the third form and had noticed converging abilities and interests, so I took his future considerations seriously as possible avenues I would want to take," Jordan said. "This convinced me to take AP Computer Science with him the following year, where I gained greater clarity in my skill and dedication to it."

We thank both Jordan and Jared for sharing their knowledge and experience with our students!

sjs ReCeIVes Ap ComputeR sCIenCe femAle dIVeRsIty AwARd

For the second consecutive year, Saint James School received the College Board's AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding access to AP Computer Science A (CSA). This award acknowledges the school's work toward equal gender representation during the 2020-2021 school year. Saint James is one of only 199 schools to be recognized for achieving this important result in AP CSA.

AP CSA students learn to design and implement computer programs that solve problems relevant to today's society. Providing female students with access to computer science courses is critical to ensuring gender parity in the industry's high-paying jobs and to drive innovation, creativity, and representation.