Whether she’s teeing off on the golf course or problem solving on the computer, Vaishu Kagita consistently strives to boost her skills while closing gender gaps.
The current president of Irvine Valley College (IVC)’s Girls Who Code Club – working to advance the role of women in technology – and a former member of her high school’s varsity golf team, she is now a data science major at IVC.
Technology is in her DNA – her twin sister Vrushu is also majoring in data science at IVC. Kagita was born in India, but her parents moved to Orange County when she was very young for jobs in the tech sector, a move she finds inspiring. “They took a big chance to come here for work.”
Just 18, she opted to attend IVC because of its “amazing data science program” as well as its honors program and transfer alliance with top University of California campuses. In addition to IVC’s academic perks, Kagita says she has encountered a warm and welcoming community. “Everyone here is supportive and helpful. The teachers and counselors especially are kind and always there for you.”
Kagita has also taken classes in Computer Information Management (CIM), which have further honed her technical skills and prepared her for the challenges of the STEM sector.
Such support is key when striving to enter the male dominated STEM sector. But Kagita is undeterred and determined to excel in her chosen field. “Technology is ever evolving,” she says. “I love how it can solve problems while creating new opportunities – that keeps me motivated.”
That motivation will most certainly propel her to her future goals: acceptance at UC Irvine or UC Berkeley and from there, a data analyst job at a top tech company.
Wherever she lands, Kagita is sure to push gender boundaries and make a difference through the power of technology.