Computer Science and Society Student Yeomans on Making a Difference

As a high school student in California, Jesselle Yeomans found herself highly interested in the idea of computers and the ability to give back. She found both in the unique Computer Science and Society degree program at Wentworth Institute of Technology. 

“I like Boston, but I was also attracted to the smaller class sizes at Wentworth, knowing that I would have a lot of administration and staff to help me if I needed help,” said Yeomans. 

Now a sophomore, Yeomans says that she is very happy with her decision, finding programming that really speaks to her, working on hands-on projects and collaborating with peers from diverse backgrounds to better understand the world in which we all live. 

“It’s not just about coding,” she said of her major, “it’s about the social aspect of the human experience.” 

Wentworth's Computer Science & Society degree blends the humanities and social sciences with computer science, data analytics, and visualization to give students structured opportunities to apply their skills to real-world problems and shape the impact of computer science on the world. 

Yeomans shares that one of her standout classes thus far was a course with Professor Ella Howard that focused on poverty. Yeomans and her classmates continuously looked at data from around the world and compared it to the United States. They would use the program language Python to examine data sets and then have a chance to present findings in the classroom.   

She has also participated in multiple civic hackathons, which empower students to tackle complex challenges in government, education, and policy through software engineering and coding. Yeomans worked alongside students from other schools and pursued the education track during her most recent competition.  

“Civic hackathons give me the opportunity to take what I have learned in the classroom and use them to make a real impact on society,” she said.  

Yeomans’ team created a project called STEMinist, an all-female mentoring program for young girls in public schools around the Boston area.  

“Our goal for this project was to help the gender gap we are facing in today's tech companies,” said Yeomans. “My team and I worked through the night and presented in front of a panel of judges, in the end my team won first place for the education track.” 

Health Hive is another project that Yeomans worked on. Health Hive is an app that lets nurses and loved ones track how a patient is doing while they're in the hospital.  

"I learned a lot of new software. I learned Figma, we worked with Convex,” she said.  

Yeomans has also taken on the role of Student Ambassador within the School of Sciences and Humanities. 

“I have a unique chance to be a voice for my fellow peers and work closely with administration to address their needs and concerns,” she said. 

Yeomans credits the School of Sciences and Humanities at Wentworth for providing those types of opportunities, as well as arming her with the tools to compete at a high level. 

“They go above and beyond to make sure that I understand something,” she said of the staff. "They work hard and are very intuitive. They listen to what students want and need, and they never hesitate to make it happen.”  

Visit the Computer Science and Society page to learn more information.