There are plenty of ways to be involved in the CS department, and we hope that all students interested in computing will decide to participate!

Keep up to date on social events: get on our mailing lists

The department sponsors social activities throughout the year. They vary from year to year, but they often include weekly “CS at the Tavern” gatherings; annual social events for intro students, prospective majors, or new majors; bowling; a senior dinner; an end-of-the-year picnic; and others. Announcements about these events appear on the CS majors email list and the CS interest email list. CS majors are automatically subscribed to the CS majors list; if you are not a major and wish to join, contact Marla Erickson, Admin. Assistant for CS.

The Carleton Sentinel is our regular department newsletter. It contains information about job and internship opportunities, department news, and other information for our students. Receive the Sentinal via email by contacting Marla Erickson to be “kept in the loop.”

Get involved with our student groups

The CS department has two active student groups:

  • Hack4Impact is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that creates software tools for local nonprofits that need them. We’re a team of developers, designers, activists, and humanitarians who seek to use technology for social impact. To learn more, contact carleton@hack4impact.org, visit our website, or visit our Instagram.
  • Lovelace’s mission is to increase gender diversity in computer science and technology within both the Carleton and Northfield communities. Lovelace members aim to accomplish this through creating supportive and inclusive environments that facilitate effective and fun learning. To learn more, contact the Lovelace board, visit the Lovelace Facebook page, or subscribe to the Lovelace mailing list.

Participate in programming contests

Carleton annually fields at least one team in the ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest. Four Carleton teams (in 1987, 1996, 1997, and 2014) have gone on to the international finals of the contest. Organizational meetings for this happen early each fall; to make sure you get the information, make sure to sign up for the CS interest list and the Sentinel (see above).

Get involved in CS Department research

Many faculty members in the department have ongoing research projects, and regularly put out calls for students to get involved. To be kept aware of new opportunities as they arise, make sure to sign up for the CS interest list and the Sentinel (see above). For a sampling of current and ongoing research projects, see our research opportunities page.

Come to weekly CS tea

Every week during the term, we hold a department get-together. At CS tea we often have speakers discussing areas of interest, whether it be research experiences, job experiences, or otherwise. Sometimes the speakers are external; sometimes they are Carleton faculty or students, and sometimes there’s no speaker at all and we just visit with each other! Majors automatically get emails about CS tea; if you aren’t a major, sign up for the CS interest list (see above) to be kept up to date about events.

Work for the CS Department

Many of our students work for the department during the school year or summer in various capacities. Opportunities including serving as course staff, prefects (teaching assistants), and assistant system administrators. We are always in need of good students for these positions! For more information about working as a course staff or prefect, contact Marla Erickson. For more information about working as an assistant system administrator, contact Mike Tie. Complete the application to work as a Course Staff Member or Prefect for 2023–2024. Apply by Friday, April 14, 2023.

Volunteer as a Student Departmental Adviser

Each year, we choose a couple of our senior majors to serve as Student Departmental Advisers (SDAs). SDAs typically serve two important roles within the department. First, they answer questions from other students in the department regarding academic matters such as courses, prerequisites, requirements, registration procedures, and so on. Second, our SDAs are the student social organizers in the department; for example, they organize regular evening get-together events and coordinate t-shirt designs. SDAs are typically selected during the spring before senior year. If you’re a junior, please contact Marla Erickson if you are interested in being considered for this.