GHC 25 empowers women in master’s programs

Every year, the Grace Hopper Celebration welcomes women and allies in tech from around the world to learn, network and celebrate their achievements.

In 2025, GHC took place in Chicago, Illinois, where four STEM master’s students received scholarships to attend thanks to our Department of Computing & Software Systems continuing to sponsor the conference.

Sarah Ramazani and Saniya Bhaladhare, both students in the Master of Science in Cybersecurity Engineering program, and Sonal Singh and Chandramathi Murugadass, students in the Master of Science in Computer Science & Software Engineering program, attended the four-day conference.

“I’m especially grateful that UW Bothell was a GHC sponsor, since it gave us sponsor-level benefits, including unlimited access to the career fairs, which made a huge difference,” Ramazani said.

Throughout the event, they engaged in hands-on sessions, connected with industry professionals and explored countless opportunities for learning and growth.

“I was very aware of the opportunity that attending [GHC] offers,” Singh said. “It provides a unique platform to network at a much larger scale and connect with people across different roles and organizations.”

Empowering conversations

Representatives from companies like Meta, Disney, Citadel, Morgan Stanley and Intuit were in attendance, along with other prominent figures in the tech and business world, like Adam Cheyer, co-founder of Siri, who spoke on AI and the future of technology, and Vivian Tu, businesswoman and founder of Your Rich BFF, who spoke on financial education.

With a mix of speaker sessions, workshops and other activities, the conference’s interactive, conversation-based approach of created a highly valuable experience for students.

“One of the most important lessons I learned was that everyone’s journey comes with roadblocks,” Bhaladhare said. “Many speakers openly shared the challenges they faced along the way, which reinforced the idea that setbacks are part of growth. I learned that believing in yourself and staying consistent while working toward your goals is what truly matters, even when the path feels uncertain.”

Other attendees shared sentiments of feeling inspired and empowered after hearing other people’s stories.

Murugadass, who had once been the only woman in an engineering management team, was excited to learn from other attendees and connect with a wider community.

“Personally, for me this is the first ever conference where I got to meet so many fellow women working in tech,” Murugadass said. “When I got to meet so many women who were able to relate to my experiences I was thrilled with joy.”

Preparing for careers in tech

For Singh, seeing others’ enthusiasm and determination was impactful.

“Seeing so many driven individuals in one place was incredibly motivating,” said Singh. “I also met several inspiring women in STEM, including those in leadership and management roles. Having the opportunity to speak with them, learn from their experiences, and ask questions was something I truly value.”

Coming out of the conference, students pointed out the real-world applications of the workshops and sessions they were involved in. For Singh, the workshop she attended focused on preparing for coding interviews.

“It covered critical problem-solving patterns that are frequently tested in technical interviews, and I found it to be extremely informative and practical,” Singh said.

Ramazani attended sessions focusing on the application of AI and machine learning in cybersecurity, noting how she learned the importance of “staying adaptable as AI continues to shape the future of tech.”

Affirming community

While students expected the convention overall to be valuable and informative to their educational and professional journeys, it was community empowerment that was a major takeaway.

Murugadass attended the conference wanting to connect with women who shared similar experiences in a male-dominated field. “[Tech] is a completely level playing ground. It is merely based on an individual’s thinking ability. Every gender should have equal opportunity yet that is not the reality,” Murugadass said.

She was able to hear from others at a women in tech breakfast event, which affirmed she was not the only one who faced that experience.

Bhaladhare said she learned the “importance of confidence, consistency and community,” which guides her moving forward.

“The conference helped me build confidence in myself and my career goals, and it reminded me of the power of surrounding yourself with people who uplift and support one another,” Bhaladhare said. “I am incredibly grateful to the University of Washington Bothell for providing me with the opportunity to attend through a scholarship. This experience played a meaningful role in empowering me and shaping how I see my future in technology.”