KINGSTON, R.I., March 14, 2018—First off, the group is not out to hack your computer. The catchy name—Ram Hacks—is intended to get students’ attention at the University of Rhode Island.
It’s working, but credit must also go to the group’s president, Antoinette Bongiorno, who has worked tirelessly to recruit students since she joined her freshman year.
“It’s been a rewarding experience,” says Bongiorno, who will graduate with a degree in computer science this spring. “Ram Hacks has given me so many resources and networking opportunities, and I hope to share that with current and future members.”
As a girl in Smithfield, Bongiorno excelled in math and science. Her mother started teaching her how to type on a computer when she was in first grade.
But it was a high school math teacher, Michael Deslauriers, who inspired an interest in computer science. One day, he pulled her aside and told her she would be a good fit for his Advanced Placement computer science class.
“I loved it,” she says. “The rest is history.”
Her freshman year at URI she visited the group’s booth at First Night, an annual event to publicize student groups on campus. She went to her first meeting a few weeks later.
“I was itching to code,” she says. “I felt a sense of community right away.”
Her sophomore year she was elected president, a position she still holds today. Under her leadership, membership has more than doubled, from 15 in 2014 to about 35 this year. More women have also signed up over the years.
“The way to get more women in computer science is to tell them they can do it,” says Bongiorno. “Someone inspired me, and I’m passing that encouragement on to other women.”
The group meets Wednesdays from 4 to 5 p.m. at Tyler Hall. Students from all academic fields are welcome, although most members are computer scientists.
Besides creating a lively academic and social environment,
the club provides networking opportunities, features guest speakers from businesses, and sponsors presentations about student projects.
This year, representatives from FM Global, a commercial property insurance company in Johnston; Rite Solutions, a defense software company in Middletown; and Johnson & Johnson, with offices in Providence, talked to members about internships and computer science jobs. Ram Hacks also holds career development workshops that offer resume-writing and interview tips.
“It’s crucial for students to have internships before they graduate,” says Bongiorno. “Ram Hacks tries to connect students to the working world.”
Bongiorno, for one, interned at FM Global and Fidelity Investments during her sophomore and junior years, and describes her experiences as “professionally rewarding” and “invaluable.”
Computer science expertise is critical in today’s job market. Slightly more than 50 percent of all jobs in science, technology, engineering and math are projected to be in computer science-related fields, according to the federal government. The demand goes beyond the tech sector. Transportation, healthcare, education and financial services are among the industries in need of computer scientists.
In a few months, Bongiorno will pass the reins to another Ram Hacks’ member. “It’s bittersweet—Ram Hacks has been a huge part of my college experience. I’m excited to see it continue to thrive.”
Other executive members of the group are Douglas Deslauriers, of North Smithfield—vice president and the son of Bongiorno’s Smithfield high school teacher; Daniel Gauthier, of Narragansett, treasurer; Kaitlin Morgan, of North Kingstown, secretary; and Thomas Clinton of Smithfield, web development officer.
“Any student interested in computer science should stop by and check us out,” says Bongiorno. “Just follow the scent of pizza.”