Introduction: Earlier this week we launched the application for the Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI), a three-week summer program for graduating high school seniors who are interested in studying computer science. To give you some more insight into CSSI, we’re bringing you stories from former CSSI participants through the My Summer @ Google series. Today you’ll meet Chyheim, a CSSI alum and freshman at the University of California, San Diego who is studying computer science. If you’d like to learn more about CSSI, visit our website and apply today!

Coming from a high school that did not offer any computer science curriculum, I saw CSSI as an opportunity for me to learn the essentials and to obtain the skills to succeed in college. The majority of CSSI was dedicated towards teaching us the fundamentals of computer science and programming. In order to get our feet wet we started by learning App Inventor, then we dived into HTML/CSS, Python, JavaScript, and eventually the combination of all of those with Google’s App Engine. On a typical day, we would break away from coding and participate in a few activities and workshops. These ranged from tips on creating a resume and on being successful in a technical interview to a Lego challenge and a social with Google interns.  One of the best parts of CSSI was the time I got to spend with my fellow CSSIers in the residence halls. On the weekends off from programming, we had trips planned for Saturdays and then Sundays off to ourselves.

Eventually it became time for us to put all that we had learned together and create a product. Essentially, everything the instructors taught was geared towards providing us with the ability to go on our own and build virtually any web application we liked. And that’s just what we did. Throughout the final week we worked to develop our very own web applications. My team created a web application called Gif.it. Using the Python Image Library and several tools in JavaScript, we constructed an application that allows people to upload pictures and generate their own animated Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) image.

Months after CSSI, I have come to realize that I owe a lot of my current success in college to the instructors and the mentors from CSSI. The exposure I had to concepts such as data types, conditional statements, loops, and arrays, has made it easier for me to grasp them in my programming classes. Aside from technical skills, CSSI has provided me with a large network of friends and professional acquaintances. I have made a number of friends that I continue to keep in contact with for support and advice. I have also gained mentorship from different Googlers that I met through CSSI. The bond that was formed between the students and the instructors made it incredibly hard to say goodbye once the program was over.

CSSI is definitely an opportunity you do not want to miss out on. Moreover, my advice for anyone who meets the qualifications is to APPLY. You should still apply even if you doubt your skill level. CSSI is all about giving students the opportunity to learn more about computer science, therefore only having minimum skills is perfectly acceptable. As long as you convey your passionate interest in computer science through the essays and the interview you should be in good shape. Don’t stress it. You have nothing to lose and so much to gain.

Interested in CSSI? Apply here!

Written by: Chyheim Jackson-Burgess, CSSI Participant

The University Programs team is delighted to share that our summer 2013 BOLD Immersion Program for Freshmen application has launched.

Selected freshmen from four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. will participate in an all-expense-paid program at Google’s Mountain View Headquarters from July 23-27, 2013. The Building Opportunities for Leadership & Development (BOLD) Diversity Immersion Program for Freshmen is designed to provide exposure into the technology industry for students who are historically under-represented in this field. Participants will get a rare glimpse into the technology industry, non-technical career opportunities at Google and valuable professional and peer networks. The robust program will also include tech talks, skills-building seminars and, of course, fun!

We encourage students to take a chance and discover what it is like to work at a technology company, particularly those who are pursuing non-technical degrees.

Please review the BOLD Immersion website for more details. The deadline to apply is Monday, April 8, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

Questions about the program can be directed to [email protected].

Posted by Vic Alonzo, University Programs

At Google, you will find smart people, big problems, and opportunities to make a real impact. We look for the brightest in a range of fields, and the University Programs team seeks to help students understand our business, as well as how their passions align with it. With this in mind, our team is pleased to announce that the 2013 application has launched for Google AdCamp.

Up to 30 current college sophomores and juniors attending four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. will be selected to participate in the all-expense-paid program at Google New York from August 4-7, 2013. AdCamp will include a collaborative curriculum focused on Google’s advertising sales and marketing operations, as well as an overview of Google’s advertising products and insight into the marketing industry. AdCamp participants will also get the opportunity to meet with Googlers and interns, compete in a case competition and participate in social activities in NYC.

Please review the AdCamp website for more details. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 5, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. PST.

Questions about the program can be directed to [email protected].

Posted by Vic Alonzo, University Programs

Are you a current senior in high school?

Have you had some exposure to computer science and would like to learn more?
Are you interested in computer science but not sure if it’s the right path for you?

If so, Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) may be the program for you. Read on to learn more about CSSI and how you can apply.

Computer Science Summer Institute
CSSI is a three-week institute that includes an interactive and collaborative computer science curriculum, as well as a unique residential experience in which students can build a network with other attendees. Up to 60 aspiring computer scientists will be selected to attend one of our all-expenses-paid CSSI sessions.

Qualifications
Candidates must:

• Intend to be enrolled as a full-time student at a 4-year BA/BS program in the US or Canada. International students are eligible to apply as long as they intend to be enrolled at a university in the US or Canada.
• Intend to be enrolled at a university with a Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or related area department for the 2013–2014 academic year.
• Able to demonstrate an interest in and motivation for studying Computer Science.

The program is open to all qualified current high school students, and is committed to addressing diversity in the field of computer science. Students who are a member of a group that is historically underrepresented in the technology industry are encouraged to apply.

Application Materials
If you’re ready to apply, please be prepared to submit the below materials.

• An updated resume (PDF preferred)
• A current unofficial or official high school transcript (PDF preferred)
• SAT or ACT scores (if applicable)
• The answers to the following essay questions. Each essay should be 300 words or less (PDF preferred).
• • Why do you want to study Computer Science? What has drawn you to the field? What do you hope to accomplish with a Computer Science degree? Your response might include courses you have taken, projects you have worked on, events you have attended, or other ways you have been exposed to Computer Science.
  • List your junior and senior math and science classes plus any summer programs, college or junior college math or science classes you have taken. Please also include grades received when applicable.
  • Google is committed to encouraging underrepresented students to seek degrees in Computer Science. What ideas do you have for ways in which you can help increase diversity in the field of Computer Science?

Important Dates to Remember
The deadline to apply will be midnight EDT on April 7th, 2013.
CSSI Session 1 will take place in Mountain View, CA from June 23 – July 13, 2013.
CSSI Session 2 will take place in Cambridge, MA from July 21 – August 9, 2013.

Ready to apply?
The 2013 CSSI application is now open, please click here to apply.

Questions?
Check out CSSI’s Frequently Asked Questions. If you have questions that aren’t answered in our FAQ, please email [email protected].

Still wondering if CSSI is right for you? Check out the Hangout On Air that we taped last week featuring Googlers, former CSSI participants, and rising freshmen who were interested in learning more about CSSI.

Posted by Vanessa Valentine, Student Engagement Specialist

Originally posted by Google Developers Blog

The best part of my job (besides making alliterative blog post titles) is working with developer communities, especially the incredibly passionate Google Developer Groups. Many chapters have been working in their local regions to diversify their communities and make them more inclusive for women developers (e.g. the Android codelab in Tokyo pictured below, and GDG Philippines). Because of these great local initiatives, we’re collaborating with the global organizer community to launch a DevFestW season during the month of March.

Like previous DevFests, DevFestW events are community-led efforts that feature technical sessions on Google’s developer tools and platforms. DevFestW also places an emphasis on bringing together women developers to teach, learn, code, and network.

Diversity is important to us at Google, both within the company and within our developer ecosystem. To truly innovate and grow, we need a diverse set of people coming up with solutions and creating products for a varied audience. We’re excited to support this initiative, and to see what foundation we can build for a lasting, vibrant community.

Visit devfest.info to find and register for a DevFestW event in your region. Stay up-to-date on all things DevFestW by following and hashtagging posts with #gdg #devfestw. Join the conversation by becoming a part of the GDG Women community on Google+. Happy festing!

Want to learn more? Find your nearest GDG chapter, get involved in local events, and connect with Google developers 24/7/365 on Google Developers Live.

Stephanie Liu leads developer outreach for North America, as well as the global programs team. She likes to relax by speedcubing.

By Stephanie Liu, Developer Relations, Global Programs Lead

The Google Student Ambassador Program saw exponential growth in 2012, with expansion to many new countries and regions.

One of the new regions for Google Student Ambassadors was Latin America. Nineteen students were selected from 11 universities across Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru to participate in our first-annual program. The selected students all attended our Google Student Ambassador Summit in Buenos Aires back in May 2012, where they were provided with interactive trainings on Google products and introduced to a robust network of Googlers and fellow Ambassadors.

While only a small group of students, their impact was truly enormous! In just seven short months, Ambassadors helped introduce Google Apps, Google+, Chrome and other Google products to their university communities.

Check out more videos from our Google Student Ambassadors in Latin America here.

Ambassadors were given the unique opportunity to be leaders amongst their peers on campus, and invaluable liaisons between Google and the university community. By the end of the 2012 program, all of the students had fostered strong bonds with one another and created close-knit communities on campus and beyond.

Now that the first year has come to a close, we’re excited to launch again in March 2013 with more students and another country represented (look out, Mexico!). Be sure to keep an eye out for the GSAs on your campus.

Posted by Sarah Henderson, University Programs

Cross-posted from Google European Policy Blog

The Internet policy world is ripe with fascinating issues. From cybercrime to government surveillance and security, to public procurement, trade and open access to information, there has never been a more exciting time to get involved. We’re excited to launch the 6th summer of the Google Policy Fellowship, with new opportunities to work with organizations from Africa, Europe and Latin America in addition to ones in U.S. and Canada. Applications are open today, and students of all levels and disciplines are welcome to apply before March 15, 2013.

Fellows will spend ten weeks this summer working on a broad portfolio of topics at a diverse set of organizations, including:

Africa

• ILab Africa
• Kofi Annan Centre for Excellence in IT

Europe

• Bruegel
• ECIPE (European Centre for International Political Economy)
• OpenForum Europe (OFE)
• The Lisbon Council

Latin America

• Asociación por los Derechos Civiles
• Derechos Digitales

North America

• American Library Association
• Center for Democracy and Technology
• Competitive Enterprise Institute
• Creative Commons
• EFF
• Future of Music Coalition
• Institute for Public Representation
• Internet Education Foundation
• Joint Center for Political And Economic Studies
• Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
• National Consumers League
• National Hispanic Media Coalition
• New America Foundation
• Public Knowledge
• Samuelson-Glushko Canadian Internet Policy & Public Interest Clinic
• TechFreedom
• Technology Policy Institute
• The Citizen Lab
• US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

You can learn about the program, application process and host organizations on the Google Public Policy Fellowship website.

At Google, we are committed to helping the innovators of the future make the most of their gifts. We believe open source development is a useful and accessible way for passionate students to get practical and rewarding experience in computer science.

With this in mind, Google is excited to announce our third annual Android Camp. Android Camp will offer thirty current freshmen and sophomores the chance to participate in a week-long educational summer program at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California from June 9 to June 15, 2013.

This program will include an interactive and collaborative curriculum focused on providing a practical introduction to developing applications for the Android operating system. In addition, students will explore the concepts behind Android, the framework for constructing an application, and the tools for developing, testing, and publishing software for the platform. Students will also get the opportunity to enjoy technical talks by Googlers, network with talented students and attend social activities around Silicon Valley.

Android Camp is open to current freshmen and sophomores studying computer science or a related major at a four-year university in the U.S. and Canada.  We are looking for students with strong academic records, at least one year of experience in Java, limited to no experience programming in Android, and a demonstrated passion for CS development.  

Our goal with Android Camp is to take high potential students with no experience programming in Android and to have them developing fully functioning Android applications by the end of the week!  It is an exciting, fast-paced program where students will participate in interactive courses designed to help them develop and build competencies in the Android platform.  Interested in learning more? Check out this blog post from one of our former Android Campers as he talks about his experiences.

Applications for Android Camp are open now and the deadline to apply is March 17th.  For more information and to submit your application, please visit google.com/students/androidcamp

Posted by Harrison Shanklin, University Programs

Cross-posted from the Official Google Blog

“I am standing in a partial enclosure made of sticks and plant fronds. This is the school for roughly 35 students, ranging in age from three to about 20 years old. There are no desks. There is only a single shared chalkboard, and it has gaping holes.” — David Rathmann-Bloch from the 21st Century Chalkboard Project, writing from rural Haiti.

These are just some of the many challenges faced by education organizations who applied for this year’s Google RISE Awards. The RISE (Roots in Science and Engineering) Awards program funds and supports organizations around the world that provide science and technology education at a grassroots level.

This year we’re delighted to give awards to 30 new organizations from 18 different countries. Combined they will reach more than 90,000 children in 2013, helping inspire and teach the scientists and engineers of the future.

• Some, such as Haiti’s 21st Century Chalkboard Project and the Uniristii Association (site in Romanian) in Romania, help those from underserved communities gain access to computing resources.
• Others, like the U.K.’s Code Club and the U.S.’s CodeNow, offer extracurricular activities that help interested children, especially those from underrepresented minority backgrounds, to learn programming.
• A few, such as the Middle East’s MEET and iLab Liberia, seek to use technology education as a platform to bridge wider social and cultural divides.
• Some, like Girlstart in the U.S. and New Zealand’s Programming Challenge 4 Girls, aim to empower girls to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

In addition to receiving funding and support to continue their outreach, RISE Award recipients will be brought together for a global summit this June in London.

To paraphrase an old saying, from small seeds, great things can grow. The recipients of the 2013 RISE Awards have already made a difference. Connecting with other like-minded organizations will help spread valuable and practical expertise, and spark opportunities for global collaboration and expansion.

Posted by Roxana Shirkhoda, Education Outreach Specialist

Photo by Robert Fischer, Google engineer

We are very excited to announce that applications have opened for the Google AISES Scholarship!

The Google AISES Scholarship is open to American Indian, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and people of First Nations from Canada pursuing degrees in the computer science, computer engineering and related programming fields in the US and Canada.  Scholarship recipients will receive 10,000 USD (for those studying in the US) or 5,000 CAD (for those studying in Canada) and will be invited to attend the annual Google Scholars’ Retreat at a Google office.  

For further details, please visit the Google AISES Scholarship page. For more information on all of our scholarship opportunities, please see the Google Scholarships page.

Deadline to apply for the Google AISES Scholarship is March 31, 2013.  Apply today!

Posted by Azusa Liu, Student Development Programs

Cross-posted from Google Open Source BlogI am proud to share the news that Google Summer of Code 2013 will be happening again this year.This will be the 9th year for Google Summer of Code, an innovative program dedicated to introducing s…

• Intend to be enrolled in or accepted as a full-time student at a university in the US or Canada for the 2013-2014 school year.
• Intend to be enrolled in or accepted for enrollment in a baccalaureate Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Software Engineering, or related program.
• Exemplify leadership and demonstrate a commitment to and passion for computer science and technology through involvement in his/her community.
• Exhibit a strong record of academic achievement.
• Be a student from an underrepresented group in computer science (African American, Hispanic, American Indian, Female, or a Person with a Disability).
• Be available to attend Google’s Computer Science Summer Institute (CSSI) in the summer of 2013.
• Demonstrate financial need.

Deadline to apply is March 11, 2013.  Apply today!

Posted by Azusa Liu, Student Development Programs

At Google, we are committed to helping the innovators of the future make the most of their gifts. We believe open source development is a useful and accessible way for passionate students to get practical and rewarding experiences in computer science.W…

Cross-posted from the Official Google BlogTechnology can sometimes be complicated, but you shouldn’t have to be a computer scientist or security expert to stay safe online. Protecting our users is one of our top priorities at Google. Whether it’…

Cross-posted from the Google Open Source BlogWe are thrilled to announce the 20 grand prize winners of Google Code-in 2012, a contest designed to introduce teenagers to the world of open source software development. Congratulations to all 334 stud…