The USC Iovine and Young Academy is seasoned in spawning inventive ideas that make an impact and break new creative ground. As we bid farewell to Women’s History Month, it seems like the perfect time to delve into the endeavors of the USC Iovine and Young Academy innovators dedicated to empowering, uniting, and supporting women. From graduate program alumni to current freshmen and seniors embarking on their capstone project, these IYA visionaries are crafting and advancing initiatives through a lens that prioritizes and champions the female experience.

Not even a year into her collegiate journey, Ahmya Rivera has already spearheaded impacted science, tech, engineering, art, and math advocacy initiatives for women in tech. In addition to the acting as the Executive Director for the third-annual #IAmComputerScience summit, an event empowering young women in computer science, she’s the author of STEAM Quest: Story-based Activity Book to promote confidence in diverse youth – “particularly young women” – through STEAM exploration. 

Now at IYA, she’s continuing her commitment to advocating for women in tech. She’s currently in a new role at the National Center for Women in IT, an organization that unites 1,500 change leader organizations, where she plays an active role in involving girls and women in the computing space. 

“I actively shape the narrative and promote diversity in the tech industry,” Rivera shares.

Speaking of her inspiration and noting the disparities she’s witnessed first-hand, she adds, “During my research, I uncovered a crucial factor: the scarcity of accessible female role models in these fields. This realization inspired me to spearhead initiatives that showcase tangible role models to young women potentially aspiring to enter these domains. By championing inclusion in these industries, I aspire to inspire future generations of young girls and women to, like me, confidently pursue their passions in STEAM fields despite obstacles.” 

Another effort designed for women pursuing their passions is Tens Social, a social media platform that empowers ambitious women to achieve their goals through a curated network. Launched by Ingrid Eskeland-Adetuyi, a graduate of IYA with masters degrees in Business, Technology, and Design, the idea was conceived after they recognized a “glaring gap for women in male-dominated fields.” She enlisted fellow IYA grad student Francesca Diliberto to help her with the project and they've been collaborating ever since. 

Why create a platform that connects women looking to connect and succeed together? Eskeland-Adetuyi explains: “Shocking statistics showed that achieving gender parity was on track to take 132 years, with women 28% less likely to have a robust network, despite 80% of job opportunities relying on it. The urgency to bridge this gap was undeniable.” 

Now Tens is are making strides to spark real, positive transformation through their mobile application and the fostering of a community that’s not only about networking – it values meaningful and encouraging relationships. 

While Tens is all about bringing women together, another venture budding at IYA focuses on a different kind of support. Loop helps women find their perfect bra with a simple scan, and it’s a new computer-vision-based app being developed by current students Connie Xu, Ire Omitowoju, Josheta Srinivasan, Jasmine Liao, Valentino Andrewin, and Melody Chen. These collaborators realized there was a real problem for women searching for the right bra and decided to solve it with a solution that blends technology and compassion, “eliminating the guesswork” from the bra-buying process. 

“As a women-led team, we’ve all experienced nuances with finding bras that fit. From daily inconveniences like having pesky bra lines show through our favorite tops to having back pain from ill-fitting bras, we were motivated by the desire to alleviate the frustration behind bras,” they explain. 

Of course, championing empowerment is at the heart of the concept. 

“By combining our passion for innovation with our commitment to empowering women, Loop encourages women to feel comfortable and confident in their own bodies.” 

As we bid farewell to Women’s History Month, it seems like the perfect time to delve into the endeavors of the USC Iovine and Young Academy innovators dedicated to empowering, uniting, and supporting women.

These IYA Innovators Create – and Advocate – With Women In Mind