UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Members of the Penn State community are invited to join the College of Information Sciences and Technology for “IST Identity Talks — Paving the Way for Change,” to be held virtually from noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19.
In the talk series, IST alumni from underrepresented backgrounds share the diverse experiences they’ve gained and challenges and opportunities they’ve faced through their educational and professional journeys.
On Oct. 19, alumna Lauren Boland will talk about her experiences as a senior software engineer at Motley Fool Wealth Management. Boland was a member of the first graduating class of Penn State’s IST program, earning a bachelor’s degree in information sciences and technology in 2003. She also holds a Master of Science in systems engineering from George Washington University.
Looking forward to connecting with students at the talk, Boland said she is most excited to share her career journey with them.
“[Around] 50% of students in my graduating class did not have a job right out of school, myself included, because the job market was still reeling from the dot-com bust,” she said. “Careers are not a straight line, and you can never predict what happens. I hope to convey to participants that it’s OK to change careers if you’re not feeling energized by the work you’re doing.”
Boland is a transgender woman who resides with her wife and two children in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. In addition to wanting to share her professional experiences with the audience, Boland said she’s also open to answering questions regarding the transgender community.
“I think trans people and their identities are currently being used as a political wedge in this country, and it’s important for more people to know and understand that we’re just people,” she said. “Visibility of marginalized groups is super important toward progress, and I hope to provide some of that visibility.”
The IST Identity Talks series aims to inspire an open dialogue for students and alumni and provide unique viewpoints to help all attendees be better prepared to thrive in diverse professional and personal communities. To date, more than 40 IST alumni have participated on panels in the series.
Members of the IST and Penn State community are invited and encouraged to attend the talks. Details of upcoming talks and recordings of past panels can be found at ist.psu.edu/identity-talks.