Student Life

The Turing Scholars program supports a strong social life. The small class size bolsters a tight-knit community within each class, and weekly social events help facilitate interactions between incoming Turing Scholars and older Turing Scholars.

Turing Scholars Student Association

The Turing Scholars Student Association (TSSA) is a student organization that regularly hosts free social events for Turing Scholars, including food! Examples of recent events include bowling, a catered Shaved Ice truck social, kickball, a nerf gun battle, super smash bros. tournaments, PowerPoint karaoke, a trick-or-treating research social with professors, and much more. The TSSA is able to hold these events thanks to generous partners, which support the organization in exchange for the ability to hold private recruiting events with Turing Scholars.

At the end of each semester, the TSSA hosts a banquet celebrating our graduating seniors and the accomplishments of our Turing Scholars throughout the semester. Faculty are also invited, and trivia games ensue.

Turing Intramural Sports

Turing Scholars passionate about athletics often come together and form Turing-wide intramural (IM) sports teams every semester. Team practices are a great way to get to know other Turing Scholars while staying active.

The most popular Turing teams are The Floppy Disks—the Ultimate Frisbee team—and Foo Barcelona—the soccer team. Turing Scholars have also had IM teams for Basketball, Volleyball, Racquetball, Flag Football, and Dodgeball. The Turing Scholars Student Association covers all team registration fees at no cost to students.

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Social Spaces

Turing Scholars passionate about athletics often come together and form Turing-wide intermural (IM) sports teams every semester. Team practices are a great way to get to know other Turing Scholars while staying active.

The most popular Turing teams are The Floppy Disks—the Ultimate Frisbee team—and Foo Barcelona—the soccer team. Turing Scholars have also had IM teams for Basketball, Volleyball, Racquetball, Flag Football, and Dodgeball. The Turing Scholars Student Association covers all team registration fees at no cost to students.

TSSA Office

The Turing Scholars Student Association has an office on the third floor of the Gates Dell Complex. You'll always be able to find Turing Scholars working, socializing, and hanging out in the TSSA office from 12-5pm on weekdays.

Honors Dorm Lobbies

Many first year Turing students choose to study together in the lobbies of the dorms that make up the Honors Quad. Students explain complex ideas to each other, study for exams together, and support each other completing common assignments.

Gates Dell Computer Science Complex

In addition to the above spaces, the Gates Dell Complex, home of the department of computer science, provides ample space for Turing Scholars to socialize and work together. There are 2 computer labs (on the 1st and 3rd floor) where Computer Science students can work as well as numerous common areas and rooms to study in.

Women in Turing

Women compose approximately 25% of each Turing class per year. While this percentage is higher than the national average, director Dr. Calvin Lin says "it’s something we want to further improve upon," seeking to focus on high school outreach and dig deeper into the root causes of the imbalance. In the short term, women in the Turing Scholars Honors Program have a host of opportunities and ways to seek community.

Women in Turing Scholars (WiTS) and Women's Coffee

There is a strong sense of community among Women in Turing Scholars (WiTS). From group chats to study groups to boba tea runs, WiTS maintains an active and welcoming community and support system. TSSA also hosts an annual catered Women's Coffee, inviting female students and faculty to engage in a safe space.

Women in Computer Science (WiCS)

WiCS is a student organization within the UTCS department. Their mission is to encourage and support women in computing through outreach, professional development, academic initiatives, and social events. Many women in Turing regularly participate in WiCS events, engaging with women in CS both in and outside of the Turing program.

Big/Little Program

The Big/Littles Program is a program where incoming students are paired with an upperclass Turing Scholar. These pairs are made based on information collected from both the upperclass student and the first-year student- to make sure that students are paired with someone who can offer advice and provide information.

Bigs help Littles adjust to the college environment and help them navigate the corporate, research, and social sides of computer science. Bigs make sure that new students have the information they need to thrive, and they provide access to any community resources that may be useful in this transitory period. We find that these relationships last well beyond this first year and help foster growth and interaction in the overall Turing community. While this program is not required, it is highly encouraged.