Cracking the code of online computer science clubs
Isabella Faris, a data science student, serves as marketing manager of CodeDevils, a fully online student organization that connects Arizona State University students all over the world, providing a platform for coders of all levels to develop their skills. Courtesy photo
Experts believe that involvement in college clubs and organizations increases student retention and helps learners build valuable social relationships. There are tons of such clubs on ASU's campuses — but what about for online learners?
CodeDevils is a fully online student organization at Arizona State University open to coders of all abilities, serving as a connection point for online students from all over the world. The club offers members opportunities to work on real-world projects, attend workshops and compete in coding competitions.
Isabella Faris is eager to ensure that members have all the information they need to participate.
“All of our events are online,” she says. “All of our communication is online, and our biggest goal is for everybody to be able to join our activities.”
Faris is an undergraduate data science student in the School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences at ASU. The senior serves as the CodeDevils marketing director, managing the club’s social media presence on LinkedIn and Instagram, as well as their profile on Sun Devil Sync, ASU’s student involvement web platform. She posts weekly updates and event announcements geared toward increasing student engagement.
Her efforts are paying off. CodeDevils currently has around 700 members in Sun Devil Sync and more than 1,700 active participants on the group’s Discord server. Since Faris began her marketing role, attendance has significantly increased at workshops, from approximately 10 people at each event in 2023 to an average of 30–40 attendees in the 2024–25 academic year.
Faris explains that her role was inspired by her own experiences.
“I changed my major to data science rather late in my program of study,” she says. “I wanted to learn more about programming. When I checked out CodeDevils, I could tell that a lot of the guys were very experienced programmers, but they also wanted to make the club very inviting.”
Frank Lin, a software engineering undergraduate student in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU, and president of CodeDevils, was busy leading the development of the organization’s activities for Sun Devils of all levels.
Faris joined the club’s leadership team to assist in spreading the word about the group’s events. A key part of her role is communicating effectively about the club’s mission.
“We want to make it clear that we have workshops and events for any ASU student with an interest in coding,” Faris says. “We can help people with the basics work up to more advanced programming, but we also have opportunities for advanced programmers.”
She strives to create visually appealing graphics and communicate in a clear tone. Faris brings a determination to make the club as welcoming as possible — especially for women who might sometimes struggle to feel included in traditionally male-dominated tech spaces.
“When I started as a club officer, I was the only woman on our board,” she says. “At first, I felt really left out and uncomfortable. But the rest of the team went out of their way to include me, and we became good friends. In turn, I want to make it more comfortable for other women to join CodeDevils.”
Faris also says that her male counterparts in CodeDevils played an important role in her success.
“In CodeDevils, the team is always really receptive to my ideas,” she says. “Women often stay quiet in group settings. It’s impactful when men realize this and make an effort to include us.”
After graduation, Faris hopes to put her degree to work in a career in machine learning and data analytics. She believes her club experience will be beneficial to her future and help her professional development.
“Having a leadership role in CodeDevils has boosted my confidence so much in my abilities,” Faris says.
She also says that her experience has taught her the value of pushing herself through challenging situations, adding, “The more you step in, the more welcome you’ll feel.”
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