The figure is staggering – only 4% of women nationally choose to pursue degrees in computer science or related engineering fields, but not if Karlie has her way.
And by Karlie, we’re referring to Karlie Kloss, supermodel and founder of Kode With Klossy (KWK), a nonprofit focused on getting young women and non-binary teens into the STEM field.
The nonprofit’s origins date back to 2015 when Kloss herself enrolled in a coding course at the Flatiron School. Hoping to open up more opportunities for people to have an impact through tech, Kloss awarded 21 scholarships that same year to young people in New York.
By the next year, Kloss created her own free two-week coding bootcamp called Kode With Klossy, awarding over 80 scholarships across three cities – New York City, Los Angeles and St. Louis. Cut to present day and Kode With Klossy now has almost 10,000 alumni, operates in 16 U.S. cities, expanded internationally to London this summer and serves scholars in over 90 countries through its virtual programming offering.
This year marks Kode With Klossy’s fifth summer camp in Miami after expanding to the city in 2018 (taking two years off from in-person programming in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID). Serving as host for the two-week summer camp was Northeastern University’s new Miami campus, which officially opened just weeks ago, marking the first community effort in this space but Northeastern officials assure us it won’t be the last.
“With shared goals of effectively changing the face of tech in the future, we were thrilled that our facilities were completed in time to host this year’s summer camp at our Miami campus,” said Maria Alonso, CEO & Dean of Northeastern University. “Beyond a space for our students, faculty and staff, our goal is for Northeastern University in Miami to be an integral part of our community, serving as a resource to the community. Our campus will allow us to effectively invite the community in and we are excited for the work ahead.”
An example of Northeastern’s commitment to this work can be found through their Center for Inclusive Computing (CIC), which partners with other colleges and universities to materially increase the representation of women computing graduates. In South Florida, the CIC has been working to achieve this goal through a grant to Florida International University and Miami Dade College. Alumni of another program – their Align Master’s in Computer Science program – are 54% female and 15% identify as a race or ethnicity historically underrepresented in the tech industry. The Align program is part of the inaugural program offering in Miami.
On campus, KWK participants formed into groups and chose a project to work on. The challenge – build a fully functioning app or website to be presented at graduation, or rather ‘Demo Day’. Refresh Miami had the pleasure of being present for the final presentations – four in total. Projects included apps to help people achieve work/life balance, combat anxiety and depression, and encourage positivity.
More special yet, this year’s camp included two former scholars turned instructor assistants. Both are now pursuing computer science degrees – one at Stanford University and one at University of Southern California.
We caught up with Kloss to ask about her reflections over the years and what the future holds for Kode With Klossy.
Next year marks 10 years since you started awarding scholarships. What has been your favorite memory from those years?
The joy of visiting our camps is nearly indescribable. It’s amazing to see the same magic that we cooked up 9 years ago still so palpable in our classrooms. Our dedicated instructors and diverse groups of scholars create a warm, inclusive environment each year. For as much as we’ve evolved and grown and changed, the core of who we are and the safe spaces we create for young people has remained the same.
What is one of your big goals for Kode With Klossey over the next 10 years?
Our goal is to evolve with the technology landscape to prepare the next generation of leaders and shape the future of tech.
AI will be the most transformative innovation of our time. To realize its full potential, we must address the lack of diversity in AI development, currently dominated by homogeneous leadership. Addressing this issue is crucial for ethical AI development and ensuring this tech reflects diverse experiences and values. Now is the time to include more diverse perspectives in decision-making.
I’m optimistic about this. There’s a shift towards a more inclusive future where women’s voices and experiences shape policies, innovations, and cultural attitudes. Kode With Klossy is well-positioned to be part of this change.
How have you seen the programs and scholars change over the years?
The community’s enduring connection is one of the most thrilling aspects of the program. With nearly ten thousand Kode With Klossy alumni worldwide, our community can continue to learn from and support one another, no matter where they are. It’s heartwarming to see our scholars rekindle the spark from their initial camp experiences and this ever-growing, evolving community is a testament to the lasting impact of our program.
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