Why I Co-founded ColorStack at UNT

In July 2024 I co-founded the ColorStack chapter at the University of North Texas with a small team of E-board members. We started with an empty Discord and a list of names. A year later we're 43 members strong, with four professional development events and a 92% satisfaction rating from attendees.

Most of the work is boring in the best way. Booking rooms. Following up on sponsorships. Writing event recaps so the next person knows what worked. The visible work - the speaker series, the resume reviews, the mentorship pairings - rests on a foundation of unglamorous logistics, and I learned to love that part.

The most rewarding piece has been mentoring students new to UNT. I've sat with five mentees over the past year, mostly first-gen CS students figuring out internships and interviewing. Watching them go from 'I don't know if I belong here' to landing offers has reframed what I think a career in tech is for.

If you're a student on a campus without a chapter, start one. The bar to entry is much lower than it looks, and the impact compounds before you graduate.