Build leadership skills and connections to the CICS community by participating in one of our many active student organizations.
Active CICS undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply for small grants to fund conference/activity travel, one-time events, and student organization start-up costs. Links to apply are below. Questions? Please contact studentevents [at] googlegroups.com.
Request Student Event/Club Funding
Request Travel Grant
Each year, a select group of CICS juniors and seniors are invited to be CICS Peer Advisors to help fellow undergraduate computer science students register for classes and advise them on which courses to take to meet graduation requirements. This paid position is an excellent leadership opportunity and a great way to connect with the CICS community.
The UMass Amherst chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery is the local student chapter of ACM, the computing professional society. The group is dedicated to engaging students in computing, helping them to build professional connections, and having fun! They hold events throughout the academic year, including tech talks, programming competitions, and social events.
BUILD UMass provides a venue for students to gain academic and practical knowledge about software development, web development, and tech consulting. BUILD gives back to the community through pro-bono services for nonprofits, startups, and local businesses. By working with companies to solve real-world problems, hosting workshops, and talks from industry professionals, we help our members develop the technical and professional skills necessary to succeed.
B[U]ILT is a student organization fighting for racial equity in the tech industry and in academia. We aim to provide individuals of said races and their allies with what is needed to advocate for and achieve racial equality in tech. In the past, we have moved towards this goal through things like career events, community discussions, and talks with industry professionals.
CICS Pride serves and supports LGBTQIA community of the College of Information and Computer Sciences, and promotes an inclusive learning environment in computing. The group's focus is on community building and social activities. All students, faculty, and staff members, regardless of gender and sexual orientation, are welcome to join the group and attend events.
CICS COST works to encourage and increase computer science outreach to youth and educators. By providing volunteer opportunities and empowering student-led events, the organization helps students develop important leadership skills while they make a difference in their community. For more information, visit the COST website or subscribe to their mailing list.
The CS Women's Group serves and supports the women faculty and graduate students in the College of Information and Computer Sciences and promotes the representation and interests of women in computing. The group's focus is on community building—members work closely with CICS faculty and staff to provide programs and services for female-identified students and organize social events, lectures, and other professional activities that are open to all students in the college.
Cybersecurity is the body of technologies, processes and practices designed to protect networks, computers, programs and data from attack, damage or unauthorized access. In a computing context, security includes both cybersecurity and physical security. The UMass Cybersecurity Club educates UMass students on these processes and practices by hosting speakers, workshops, and cybersecurity competitions.
Developer Student Club UMass is a program by Google Developers to help students bridge the gap between theory and practice while promoting developer culture. DSC UMass hopes to do this by collaborating with local organizations, hosting study jams, workshops, and working on projects to solve local community-based problems through innovation and technology.
#freshCICS is a social group for first-year students in CICS that provides support, collaboration, community, and mentoring from peers and second-year students. It’s a great way to get involved, make friends, and have fun.
HackHer413 is the first all-women and non-binary student 24-hour hackathon in Western Massachusetts taking place annually at UMass Amherst. The student-organized and run event welcomes 350 participants from New England and beyond. The principal goals of the event are to create a welcoming hacking environment, celebrate first-time hackers, and encourage women from any major or career interest to explore computer science. Join us as a participant or get involved further by joining the organizing team!
Sponsored by CICS, UMass Amherst's annual 36-hour hackathon, HackUMass, is organized and run completely by students. Students from across campus come together to put on one of New England's largest events for makers -- in 2016 over 600 hackers from the region participated. Be on the lookout for ways you can get involved.
CICS ROCks! Rising junior and senior computer science majors are invited to apply to be CICS student ambassadors as part of the student Recruitment and Outreach Committee (ROCk). ROCks students give guided tours to prospective computer science students and other visitors, assist with annual fund activities, and represent the college at select UMass Amherst events.
UMass Robotics is a well-structured, organized, and exciting opportunity for UMass students to learn about robotics, compete in competitions, and gain real team experience under a deadline. The UMass Robotics team is currently working to compete in the May 2021 NASA Lunabotics Competition.
Women in Informatics and Computer Science at UMass Amherst (WiCS @ UMass Amherst) is a student organization run by undergraduate members of the College of Information and Computer Sciences. It was established as a complement to the graduate women in computing group and aims to foster a stronger bond between all female and non-binary members of the CICS community. Through bonding activities, workshops and various other activities, we create a safe space for minorities in computing to develop and grow together.
To have your organization or activity listed on our site, email www-admin [at] cs.umass.edu.
