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Barbara G. Ryder Excellence Fund

Dr. Ryder with students at Grace Hopper Conference
Dr. Barbara Ryder (seated, center) sits with students at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.

The Barbara G. Ryder Fund for Excellence in Computer Science was established in 2016 to honor the leadership and contributions of Barbara Ryder, J. Byron Maupin Professor Emerita of Engineering. Ryder served as the department head for Computer Science from 2008 to 2015, and retired from Virginia Tech in 2016. During her tenure as department leader, Ryder exhibited a tireless commitment to diversity and inclusion. In order to honor Ryder’s legacy and to sustain the department’s efforts to improve diversity in computing, this endowed fund was established to ensure that the department will always have resources to support its efforts in this important area. Income from the Ryder fund helps support initiatives and activities such as the following:

  • Outreach and Recruiting: Staff and student visits to K-12 schools and community colleges, hosting of visitors to campus, as well as coding camps and teacher workshops.
  • Retention and Community Building: Student organization activities, student mentoring programs, social events, and service projects.
  • Professional Development: Student attendance at national and regional conferences such as the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing and the Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing.
  • Invited Speakers: Hosting invited speakers of diverse backgrounds who can serve as role models for our students.
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