NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Story Submissions

Each and every one of you has a story to share - and those stories may be just the words someone else needs to hear to feel inspired about their choices and journey in technology. NCWIT is encouraging ALL Aspirations in Computing (AiC) Community members to raise their voices, share their experiences, and tell their stories to inspire others! Learn more about the ongoing AiC Stories campaign and meet the current AiC Stories Ambassadors.

Submissions are now closed.

Timeline:

• Submissions open January 8th, 2024
• Submissions close February 16th, 2024
• Selection notifications will arrive by the end of March, 2024
• Selected AiC Story Ambassadors will serve for the remainder of the year

Eligibility requirements for selection include the following:

• You must be an AiC Community member.
• You must be 18 years old or older upon submission.
• You must be either a U.S. citizen, permanent resident (meets the requirements of the green card test), or an Individual who meets the requirements of the substantial presence test.
• You must reside in the U.S. or on a U.S. overseas military base, or be a U.S. Citizen residing in Puerto Rico, Guam, or the U.S. Virgin Islands.
• You must have a valid U.S. Social Security or Tax Identification number.

NCWIT aims to select a group of AiC Story Ambassadors that represents the diverse experiences within the AiC Community. Want to share your story and become an AiC Story Ambassador? Click the button below and submit your video story through our submission form.

Video Guidelines & Prompts

Consider the following guidelines and prompts for your video. Pick one or two prompts to address for the most impact. Here are some prompts to help you get thinking!

Video Length (required)

• Your video should be a maximum of 5 minutes long.
  

Tell Us About You

• Who are you, what do you love, what excites you about technology?
• Why have you decided to share your story? 

Challenge or Adversity

• Describe a challenge you have encountered in your journey and how you addressed it.

What's Impacted You?

• How do your intersecting identities impact your journey?
• What other organizations are you involved with, and how have they impacted your journey?

What Have You Learned?

• What has been the most important thing you’ve learned so far while pursuing your passion for technology?

Reflect + Look Forward

• If you could give your past self one piece of advice before starting your journey with technology, what would it be?
• Since you have discovered your passion for technology, what are your plans for the future? (what is your end goal)?
  
  

Tips for recording a great video

• Put your phone on silent.
• Position the camera at eye level. Place your laptop or other recording device on books or a box to get it to the proper height. Tipping the camera up or down at an extreme angle does not solve this; you need to raise or lower the camera, or yourself, to achieve this.
• Clean the camera lens with a soft cloth or tissue.
• Center yourself left-right, and position yourself so your head is close to the top of the frame.
• Position your phone vertically (hotdog style) so that it is filming in a portrait format.
• Do not point your camera toward an exterior window or any bright light source. You need to be the brightest object in the image.
• Nice, soft, warm light is the best. Use a fill light in front of you if possible. Avoid lighting that is directly overhead and strong lighting behind you. Try to avoid creating hard shadows. Soft lighting in the background is good.
• Check your background; make sure there's nothing visible that you wouldn't want on screen.
• Avoid bright white clothing, fine lines, and patterns. No stripes!
• Sit or stand a comfortable distance from the camera. Look straight at the camera when you present - this is your audience and eye contact is important.
• Relax, speak slowly and naturally. Project just like you would in a room of people.
• Re-watch the video you have made, and don't be afraid to re-record!