Information Technology (IT) student, Bea Soriano Guevarra, is this year’s newly elected Director of Information Communication and International Linkages for Junior Philippine Computer Society (JPCS). In an interview, Guevarra humbly shared that most of her biggest life events happened by accident. The course IT was a plan B to her and the election for the JPCS Board of Officers happened on the day she was only supposed to submit the requirements needed. Much to her surprise, these unexpected events turned out to be the greatest turning point in her academic journey.

Raised in the United States, Guevarra has always dreamed of joining its military unit. There, she also had most of her Basic Education. She went back to the Philippines for her undergraduate degree at the age of sixteen. She has long-known Southville International School and Colleges for she resides just nearby and news about Southville’s IT Programme appealed to her during her hunt for the best school. She thought, this course will qualify her to join the troop someday. Guevarra is also eyeing on Microsoft Company after graduation and she’s confident that her credentials are further strengthened by Microsoft’s partnership with Southville.

She considers herself as a very feminine type having a soft heart and a fierce mind. Apart from her love of computers, she is also very much into cosmetics; as she likes to do the job glammed up. On her spare time, she does free make-up services for her close friends. She believes that women can maintain a high sense of feminism and be a hard coder at the same time. Guevarra is currently in her junior year. She officially took over the position at the JPCS last November. Combined technology and leadership skills activities are some of the projects in store for her in 2019.

“Women Coders in the Millennial Age connote a double discrimination in this generation that we have now and that is what I take as a challenge in the ever-changing tech world. Number one, us women up to this time still thrive hard for equality especially in the workplace and number two, I have observed the discrepancy on the Generation Y concerning their beliefs, values and lifestyles. I have so much respect for women who code. IT is just another field people primarily perceived only suitable for men. For many years, we have progressively scrapped that norm as we give a touch of collective feminine intelligence in the professional world.

At the same time , I have high confidence that millennials are not exactly how they are discerned by some people. In fact, our millennial JPCS members surprised us with their remarkable dynamic personalities and openness to  activities that will enhance their joint technology and leadership skills. Women coders in this era are exceptionally hard working, creative and persistent given the ability to meet the standards of those who are senior to them. IT students really have a big advantage because there’s always new technology coming out everyday. Our advantage is knowing what’s to come in the future concerning technologies. Most of all, to younger IT students, I encourage them to explore organizations to broaden their horizons and collaborate with like minded people to discover themselves more.”

Bea Soriano Guevarra

JPCS Director of Information Communication and International Linkages

Junior Information Technology Student (Southville International School and Colleges)