University of Illinois Chicago
Application Information
Please see instructions above
Partner Institution
Chicago Tech Circle
- Chicago Tech Circle is a collective of UIC women and nonbinary technologists working for the benefit of Chicago companies and communities.
- Duration
- Chicago Tech Circle projects usually begin in September or January and last for 12 weeks. Project team members complete about 10 hours per week of paid project work for the duration of the engagement.
On demand
- Program Participants
For each client we work with, Chicago Tech Circle puts together a diverse, multi-talented team of UIC students who each bring a unique skill or perspective to the project. We are looking for students who want to collaborate on paid tech projects and who have backgrounds in subjects such as:
- Data science
- Computer science
- Business and economics
- Statistics and/or data analytics
- Language
Students of all UIC majors, minors, and areas of interest are welcome to join the circle!
How to get involved
Chicago Tech Circle is always growing. We are launching our first two project teams in fall 2023 and adding students to our roster for teams in spring 2024 and beyond. If you are interested in participating, please follow these steps:
- Follow our page on LinkedIn
- Send an email with “Chicago Tech Circle” in the subject line to btt@uic.edu. In a short paragraph, please tell us what you are studying at UIC, why you are interested in tech, and what skills or perspective you could bring to a project team (whether it’s tech-related or not!).
Chicago Tech Circle facts
- Chicago Tech Circle projects are especially well-suited to students who have already completed a Sprinternship™ or summer internship and want to gain additional tech work experience during the school year, but these are not prerequisites for participation.
- Each Chicago Tech Circle team is guided by a UIC computer science faculty member who serves as project manager. If needed, the faculty lead can fill in knowledge gaps that team members must address to complete the project. This makes for a valuable learning experience!
- We aim for our teams to be multi-disciplinary. We believe diversity is an asset. Students who come from academic backgrounds outside of technology can enhance tech projects in fascinating ways.
- Chicago Tech Circle operates as a true consultancy. Student team members become employees not of the client firm, but rather of Chicago Tech Circle (via UIC). Team members are paid $15 to $20 per hour and receive their earnings directly from the university system.
- In the future, summer project work may be available. Summer team members may be able to take on up to 40 paid hours per week, which is more feasible when students are not enrolled in class.
School-Specific Program Information