CS Student Opportunity Series (CS SOS)
Welcome to the CS Student Opportunity Series!
The CS Student Opportunity Series (SOS) provides tools and resources for undergraduate students in CS majors to grow academically, professionally, and personally. Each semester, students hear presentations from experts about a variety of topics.
Thanks to students from CS Registered Student Organizations, each presentation includes a student panel to help CS students practically implement strategies for success.
Drinks and snacks are provided at each on-campus event. SOS events will remain virtual until further notice.
SOS Communi-Tea
Communi-Tea events will return in Spring 2022. Stay tuned and stay well!
We can talk about classes, changes to instruction, job hunts, stressful things, new games, or other topics that are meaningful to you. Bring your own tea or coffee and connect with CS students and advising in this weekly event. No worries if you cannot join at the beginning or stay the whole time--join when you are available. All are welcome!
CS Student Opportunity Series
Presentations offered in partnership with the following: the College of Engineering Embedded Counselor, CS Student Organizations, Engineering Career Services (ECS), Illinois Leadership Center (ILC), and Counseling Center Paraprofessionals (CCP).
Download PDF // More information, including self-help brochures, can be found on the Counseling Center webpage. Check out the new Counseling Center YouTube Channel for recorded presentations to help with your academic journey!
Fall 2021 Presentations:
The CS SOS will not be offering CS presentations in Fall 2021, but we are happy to endorse these events offered by campus partners:
- Tuesdays @ 7 (offered by the Counseling Center): https://counselingcenter.illinois.edu/tuesday-at-7
- College of LAS Success Workshops: https://las.illinois.edu/lifecareerdesign/exploration/lassuccess
- Grainger College of Engineering CARE Tutoring: https://care.grainger.illinois.edu/tutoring
- Engineering Career Services (ECS) Career Development Workshops and Events: https://students.grainger.illinois.edu/ecs/home/
ECS Fall Programs Flyer - Illinois Leadership Center (ILC) I-Programs: https://leadership.illinois.edu/i-programs ILC Fall 2021 Programs Flyer
- Math and Statistics Student Support Center (New for Fall 2021!): https://publish.illinois.edu/mathstat-ssc/
Past Presentations available for review via CS SOS Media Space Channel
CS Registered Student Organization Events for Summer/Fall 2021
WCS Bits & Bytes Mentorship Program:
WCS is excited to announce that we will be starting our Bits and Bytes mentorship program in the summer this year (before the 2021-2022 school year), so that we can provide incoming Illinois CS students with tips and tricks essential to navigating their first years at UIUC.
For those new to the program, each family consists of Bits (mentees), Bytes (mentors), and a family head (a WCS officer). There will be 3-4 Bits in your family with 2 parent Bytes. Multiple families will be grouped together under a WCS officer to help organize cross-family activities! The families will continue on for the rest of the year, and WCS will provide programming so that families can meet one another frequently.
To be a Bit, you must be either a Freshman, Sophomore, or transfer student studying or interested in studying Computer Science at Illinois. To be a Byte, you must either be a Sophomore, Junior, Senior, or graduate student.
Everyone, regardless of major, gender, race, etc., can sign up to be a Bit or Byte!
Sign up to be a Bit/Byte by September 2nd at https://go.illinoiswcs.org/bits-bytes-signup and we will match you with your new family!
Families will be your personal resource throughout the year. It is up to you how you want to spend your time with them. It might be at a WCS event, random Zoom call, game night, or anything!
CS Mental Health Committee (CSMHC):
The CS Mental Health Committee is a student organization dedicated to promoting dialogue and improving mental health resources for students in the community. You might know us from our Mental Health Awareness Nights, De-stressing Events, or our Mindfulness Monday posts on social media (shameless plug: @csmhc.illinois)! We even worked on the Senate initiative to get CR/NC grading in the Fall 2020 semester.
This year, we are hosting a new Mental Health Forum for students to discuss challenges they may be experiencing with mental health, look for campus resources, and hear from peers about tips around well-being and self-care, as well as a new Faculty Mental Health Ambassador program to create more mental health-friendly course policies and dialogue in classes.