Regis Woman in STEM - Julia Masciarelli

By: Morgan Jacobus, Editor in Chief

Not only is she a varsity athlete, maintaining good grades, taking masters classes, and working two jobs, but she is also leading the way for women in STEM. Meet Julia Masciarelli, the president of CyComp – Regis’ cyber security club. 

Her interest in computers was first sparked when she was young, around 4 or 5 years old when her dad, an aerospace engineer, first showed her a computer. He would show her his code and she wanted to know how he did it. 

“I played video games and just did stuff on the computer, but my first computer programming class was my junior year of high school. I just wanted to take it because I was interested, and I loved it. So, then I took it again senior year because it was the only class they had at my school, and I just went into it for college,” said Julia Masciarelli. 

She got involved with CyComp her second or third week of her freshman year when her RCC professor suggested she check it out and has been a part of it ever since. Soon enough she was competing and getting more involved. Come her sophomore year, she was elected as ambassador. 

“I knew I wanted to get more involved in the leadership position. I wouldn’t say I am the most technical person in the club, but I think I have a lot of good organizational skills and I wanted to use those for the club because it was pretty small and unorganized when I first started. Then I was elected [president] by everyone else in the club junior year and then reelected again this year,” said Masciarelli. 

According to one of Masciarelli’s peers, her work in the club as president has made it what it is today. 

“She has done a lot of work to make the club really fun and awesome. Ever since she became president the amount of people that come to meetings has gone way up… She has made a really fun, cool atmosphere, and she puts in a ton of work and time,” said Ian Priest. 

While she has implemented several improvements to the club, her most notable impacts have been with helping the members of the club, both experienced and new to the world of cyber security. 

“When I started, being such a beginner, I was really lost, and I didn’t want other beginners to not come back to the club because they felt like they couldn’t keep up,” said Masciarelli. 

In addition to making beginners feel welcome, she also has tried to encourage more girls to join the club. During her freshman and sophomore year, Masciarelli was the only girl in the club, so she tried to target more girls through her outreach. However, this was not an uncommon situation for Masciarelli, since her work and interest in computer science has often resulted in her being the only girl in the room. 

“It is definitely male dominated… so I have definitely gotten used to being the only girl in the room. At my internship all the other people in the office were guys and I was the only girl and I was the intern so that was super intimidating, and some of my classes are like that too. I just try to not let it bother me. I know that I am just as valuable as all my other colleagues and peers… and I don’t want to let my gender stop me from that. My mom is also an aerospace engineer, so I have never been turned away from women in STEM. I have lots of powerful women in STEM in my life so it never felt like something I couldn’t do,” said Masciarelli. 

In addition to embracing that her gender can’t hold her back in this field, Masciarelli also feels that it is “a huge loss for everyone,” if half the population isn’t considering this field that is experiencing a lack of jobs that are being filled. 

“Women shouldn’t be turned away from something because they feel like there is a gap or that they are going to be the only girl in the room, or feel like ‘oh if I am a woman in STEM then I can’t be girly’ or ‘I can’t do this,” so I try to set an example by that. I play soccer and I am in STEM; I love fashion and I’m really girly… I think you can do all of it,” said Masciarelli. 

Her impact as a woman in STEM has already begun. She is helping other CyComp members by bringing in more professionalism to the club and showing them things they can do after graduation, and she is being recognized by her peers. 

“I felt that she deserved recognition for all the work she has done, but it is also inspiring too that she is able to do all of this stuff. It is hard for her, because she talks about [how] half of her classes [as a com science major] where she is the only girl in the class. For most of the time she was in CyComp she was the only girl in the entire club, and everyone else respected her and believed in her enough that they made her the president,” said Priest, who nominated Masciarelli to have a story written about her. 

It is a lot to handle, but Masciarelli described that she pushes herself to do better, “Sometimes I feel like there is a lot of pressure on me to maintain everything, and I am definitely a perfectionist and I am really competitive with myself and [I] keep myself with really high standards… It is just a little stressful at times to make sure I get everything done, but just stay organized, trust the process, know I am doing it all for my future,” said Masciarelli. 

And what a bright future indeed. Some of Masciarelli’s aspirations include building software to help everyone and make people feel more comfortable going online, using artificial intelligence to make cyber security software, and move higher up in the ranks to be president or CEO of a company of her own or T an existing company. 

“I think that computers and technology is a great tool and I want everyone to be able to use that so they can feel safe while they are doing it… then just inspire other women that they can do cyber security and do STEM and have a great time doing it,” said Masciarelli. 

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Interested in being a part of CyComp? They meet Mondays at 5pm via Zoom, and if anyone wants to join email CyComp@gmail.com 

They are also looking for 2 new team members for competition season, no experience necessary to join! 

Check out their Instagram: @ru_cycomp

Club Feature: In Between

By: Carly Compesi, Staff Writer

Design courtesy of In Between (Regis).

Ever wonder where you fit in? That’s what sophomore, Anna Gilstrap, and her friends wondered when starting a national organization for Asian adoptees called “In Between.” This year, Gilstrap began a new chapter of In Between for Regis University students. I had the opportunity to interview her and learn a bit more about what In Between has to offer.

According to Gilstrap, the idea of In Between started after participating in “Adopteen,” an organization that brings together adopted teenagers for events and service trips to other countries. Though Gilstrap rarely spoke of her adoption during high school, Adopteen caught her eye.

“It sounded like a cool opportunity to hold babies and talk to some of the orphans in the orphanage,” Gilstrap explained. “I don’t know what the stats were, but only 30 applicants went per trip, so I was really fortunate to get one trip.”

However, Gilstrap’s trip to China wasn’t all she had expected it to be. She spoke of her time making crafts and playing games with younger children like Hei Hei, a little boy who loved playing with his red truck. The surprise came when spending time with older children and teenagers at the orphanage, some of which were 18 years old (and older than Gilstrap, who was 17 years old at the time).

“That could’ve been me,” Gilstrap said, reflecting on her experience. “I could’ve stayed just stayed in the orphanage. I could’ve just stayed there [in China]. [...] It was really hard, but I think it was necessary for me to realize that my adoption is not just a fun fact about myself. It’s an actual thing that happened. It’s not sad or anything. It can be happy. But it’s more than a fun fact. It’s my life story.”

But even after making this realization, Gilstrap and her new friends from Adopteen struggled to find where they belonged after leaving China. While their lives began in Chinese orphanages much like the ones they visited, they quickly discovered the ways in which they were more American. This left them looking for clubs and organizations where they could finally speak about their adoptions or their biracial identities. Unfortunately, no groups of this kind existed on their campuses.

“We realized [Adopteen] changed our viewpoint on our adoption,” Gilstrap explained. “We’re more open about it. I feel like a lot of the stigma that we’ve been raised with has been chipped.”

That’s when Gilstrap’s friend created “In Between” at UC Berkeley, giving Asian adoptees an opportunity to find others who share this split, multicultural identity. And while Gilstrap recognizes that In Between is not for everyone, she welcomes those looking for a place to celebrate their identity, especially when their identity falls between two cultures.

“I feel that no one should or must go to In Between...it’s more about whatever your path is in the Asian adoption experience,” Gilstrap clarified. “In Between is important for my growth as an Asian adoptee. [...] It’s such a cool experience for me to realize that there are so many of us.”

Gilstrap feels that In Between is an opportunity to get the closure, connection, and community that often isolates Asian adoptees. She says the group is for those who want new insight and healing from their experiences. This year, her goal is to spread the word about In Between and ensure that people feel connected. Gilstrap, along with other In Between chapters across the country, will be hosting events on Zoom to build these connections.

Interested in learning more or becoming a part of In Between? The Instagram for In Between’s Regis University chapter is @InBetweenRegis, and the Instagram for every chapter of In Between is @InBetweenNational. To RSVP for events, just look for links in their bios.

Club Feature of the Week: Get on Board with Board Game Club

Photo Source // Katie Lambie

By: Carly Compesi, Staff Writer

After a long week of mid-term-induced stress, one of Regis’ newest clubs recovered with none other than a fun-filled round of board games. This type of fun was the goal from Allison Schroeder, the president of Board Game Club, when she founded the group this past year. Fun, new friends, a little competition, and a chance to relax at the end of the week.

New member and sophomore, Seth Beebe, came ready with two duffel bags full of assorted board games. Those bags, he explained, contained all of the games he brought from home. Apparently, he still left behind at least 80 board games when moving to Regis.

From one of these duffel bags came The Resistance, a card-based game of role playing and sabotage. Even other new members like Beebe were soon caught up in the action. This was just the first of many games, and almost all of the club’s members stayed long after the club officially adjourned. “It’s a great way to end the week,” says Berenice Aldecoa, another club member. “Because it’s a stress-free environment.”

“Although, I’m very competitive,” adds Schroeder, laughing.

Interested in attending? Board Game Club will meet from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the Student Center on Oct. 31, Nov. 22, and Dec. 6. Better yet, their next meeting is a Halloween party, so expect free food along with free fun. For any questions, just reach out to Allison Schroeder at aschroeder003@regis.edu. Happy board gaming!