An anonymous colleague generously nominated me for UCI's Women In IT Applause Award, which recognizes "impact and accomplishments in fostering an inclusive culture at UCI through their words, values, actions, and attitudes." As a woman in computing who survived an undergraduate degree in a class comprised of a mere 4.2% women in a department with only one tenured woman faculty member, this means so much to me. The reason I have persisted in academia is to make sure that no other women in computing have the experience that I did. Suffice it to say that this award is heartfelt. What an honor!