An Experience Report: Inaugural Pinning Ceremony to Celebrate Black Women in Computing

Despite efforts to broaden participation in computing, Black women remain underrepresented in industry. A contributing factor is that few Black women earn undergraduate computing degrees, leading to a smaller pool to enter the workforce. Numerous studies have identified barriers to degree completion. Common concerns include an unwelcoming departmental culture, reduced sense of belonging. and few diverse role models. This experience report describes a novel approach designed to break down these barriers: the establishment of a Pinning Ceremony. This event celebrates Black women graduating with undergraduate degrees in either Computer Science or Computer Information Systems. The Pinning Ceremony brings together faculty, students, and administrators from both departments to acknowledge these accomplishments. The celebration creates a bond between graduates, emphasizing the impact they can make in the overall tech space. Non-graduating students benefit by envisioning themselves in that position. In this experience report, we describe the Pinning Ceremony, provide participant feedback, document lessons learned, and discuss plans for future work.