A global pandemic . . . a virtual community!

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, CS KickStart transitioned to a fully remote program for Summer 2020. Despite the physical distance separating participants all across the globe, our workshops, socials, and panels fostered close bonds and friendships.

A Virtual Classroom

  • Technical workshops: Intro to Computer Science, Python, Web Design, Data Science, and Electrical Engineering
  • Faculty Speakers: UC Berkeley Computer Science and Electrical Engineering course instructors, Dean of UC Berkeley's College Of Engineering

Club and Industry Panels

  • From technical, to social, to outreach-oriented, 15 clubs gave an introduction to extracurricular life at UC Berkeley.
  • Industry professionals from Google, Pixar, Jane Street, Tesla, and more gave a glimpse of life beyond university.

Life-Long Connections

  • Daily socials and spirit days saw participants bond over virtual games, creative backgrounds, and a Minecraft UC Berkeley tour!
  • Alumni chats saw one generation of CS Kickstart bond with another, creating a priceless network before participants started college.

Final Projects

At the end of the program, participants created a variety of projects to showcase the skills they learned in just a week of coding. Reflecting each participant's unique ideas, projects varied in scope and theme.