Virtual Fellowship Program
Stay tuned for more information about applications!
About the Program
The Technica Fellowship Program is an 8-week initiative running from June to August designed for students of all skill levels, especially those with less technical experience who are eager to grow. Fellows will work together on a guided technical project, gaining hands-on experience, building their skills in coding and collaboration, and growing their confidence in a supportive, mentorship-based environment.
Weekly Schedule
Sunday Evening:
Project Work Sessions / Technical Workshops - Hands-on work on technical projects, guided learning sessions, and skill-building workshops
Tuesday and Thursday Evening:
Professional Development Workshop - Workshops focused on career growth, including resume building, interview prep, networking, and tech industry insights
OR
Bonding Workshop - Fun, interactive workshops designed to build team cohesion, foster relationships, and explore topics related to personal growth and community building
Testimonials
“My experience as a Fellow with Technica was amazing! It helped me develop a community of friends in tech before I started school which was very helpful. The skills and friends I've made through the program has been very beneficial to me starting out as a freshman.” - Eniola Aloba, Summer 2024
“I'm really glad I applied to the Fellowship the summer before my freshman year at UMD. Beyond all of the technical skills I gained through the collaborative project, I really enjoyed getting to know the other fellows and the organizers. The Fellowship introduced me to a community of individuals with similar interests and backgrounds to me, and I'm still close with many of the friends I made during that time! The professional development workshops were also very helpful for tips like networking and resume-building, which helped me land my internship this summer!” - Anagha Bhuvanagiri, Summer 2024
“My experience as a Technica Fellow was both challenging and transformative. The projects we worked on, including working with APIs (something I hadn’t done before), pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and develop new technical skills. The supportive environment was invaluable — the directors and other fellows made it easy to feel comfortable and confident. I especially loved the bonding sessions, which helped me build lasting connections. I'm still very close with many of the fellows and even a couple of the directors who led those sessions! This experience not only helped me grow my coding skills but also made me more confident in my abilities as a developer.” - Christiana Alapa, Summer 2024
Application Requirements
To be eligible for the Technica Fellowship Program, applicants must:
- Be a rising college freshman (starting college in Fall 2025)
- Identify as an underrepresented gender in tech (e.g. women, nonbinary, gender-nonconforming)
- Reside in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia (DMV) area
- Be available for the full duration of the 8-week summer program
- (Preferred, but not required): Demonstrated interest in technology (e.g., school clubs, self-led projects, online courses), but no prior industry internship experience
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the Technica Fellowship Program, fellows will:
- Gain hands-on experience with software development tools and practices (e.g., GitHub, version control, debugging)
- Build a technical project from start to finish, collaborating effectively in teams
- Develop problem-solving skills by working through real-world coding challenges
- Strengthen communication and feedback skills, learning to present technical work clearly, culminating in a final project showcase
- Grow a network of peers, mentors, and organizers for continued support and future opportunities in tech, with insight into next steps like clubs, internships, and personal projects
Hear from Our Fellows
Frequently Asked Questions
The goal of the fellowship is to give you hands-on experience working on a real-world technology project in order to give you a leg up in your career, supplemented with a supportive community of other underrepresented individuals in tech.
Fellows must identify as an underrepresented gender in tech: women, non-binary, genderqueer, and all others who are marginalized in tech.
