Student-led IE Coding Club breaks down barriers to tech education by making programming accessible to everyone—regardless of their degree or experience level. This inclusive coding community is transforming how students approach technology education, creating a space where anyone can learn essential coding skills.
No matter the degree, most students at IE University will need programming skills at some point during their academic journey. To ensure future readiness and adaptability, IE Coding Club provides easy access to building skills in software development. From novices to experts, the group helps students build technology skills that can be applied to any career path.
IE Coding Club: An inclusive coding community
Today, IE Coding Club offers supplemental technology education opportunities to its participants. Throughout the year, the group coordinates informative workshops, hackathon events, company visits and support for tech enthusiasts.
To better understand the club’s unique approach and varied initiatives, we sat down with co-presidents Laura Cuellar and Anna Payne to discuss their experiences and collective vision.
How did you get involved with IE Coding Club?
Anna: We both joined in our second year as event coordinators. It was the last two presidents who helped us get involved in coding and invested in our events, which we really enjoyed. When it was time for them to step down, they entrusted us with the leadership, believing we would be strong successors.
Laura: The event coordinator positions gave us hands-on experience in organization, leadership and teamwork. Those are the kinds of skills that typically translate well into the position.
What leadership or structural changes have you implemented?
Anna: Last year, we only had people from computer science, as well as the occasional data or business student. We’re currently trying to branch out, and we have some great people on the board so far. There is even a master’s student on our team.
Laura: We have people from international relations, applied mathematics, data and computer science. All of us on the board want to emphasize the collaborative environment and intersection of technology and coding with other fields like humanities and law. Tech is relevant everywhere nowadays. That’s why we try to offer targeted support—if you’re a business student learning Python, we can provide specific workshops or tutoring sessions.
How do you approach working with different skill levels
Anna: Typically, we advertise whether a workshop is meant for beginners or advanced learners, so there will be clear descriptions of the subjects we teach. This way, everyone knows exactly what to expect.
Laura: Over time, we have built a diverse board that fits all the profiles we need to address. So, we have a technical lead, research lead, event coordinators and more. Not all of us are coding professionals, but we ensure support at every event. During workshops, we have multiple people available for one-on-one support to answer questions at a peer level.
What makes the coding community’s teaching approach unique?
Anna: I think our team understands that coding isn’t just math logic and crying. For example, we’re working on a beginner Python workshop where we’ll teach them how to code a really basic bingo game. Afterward, we’ll play as a group and give out a few prizes.
Laura: We just try to offer that outside support. Sometimes it’s more comfortable talking to a peer than going to a professor, so we try to create a safe environment for people to come to.
What are some of your favorite initiatives?
Anna: We had a Valentine’s Day e-card project where we went around introducing ourselves, asking people to scan a QR code and send an e-card to somebody. We had fun with that.
Laura: Everyone enjoys getting involved in the Valentine’s Day spirit, so it’s one of the most fun events we organize. It helps us reach people who might not usually be interested in a coding club. It’s a great way to use technology to spread the word about what we do.
What are some 2024 club initiatives?
Anna: One of our new initiatives this year is hiring a technical lead. They’re responsible for organizing a network of people interested in teaching workshops. This gives participants the opportunity to gain experience or add valuable credit to their LinkedIn or CV by teaching a workshop on a specific level, language or subject.
We’ve also seen a lot of interest from master’s students eager to get involved. Many approached us at the recent club fair, asking if they could join even if they weren’t in a tech program. Our answer is always yes—at any level. We’re excited to branch out, welcome more people into the club and make sure everyone knows about it.
Laura: Yeah, that’s the message we want to get across: The club is open to everyone.
The two co-presidents have big plans for the club, and their main message is clear: anyone is welcome. Whether you’re interested in coding but have no experience, or you’re looking to meet more like-minded advanced coders, you’ll find an open and friendly environment to develop your skills and grow your network. If you want to find out more, visit the club’s page.