Succeeding Together

Correy Dandoy Wins 2024 Staff Community Excellence Award

Correy Dandoy knows that a rising tide raises all boats. Whether she’s supporting students through one-on-one advising, leading peer mentorship clubs or raising the visibility of the undergraduate Information Systems (IS) Program through web and social media outreach, Dandoy brings a genuine love of community to her role as senior academic advisor and communications manager for IS. Her dedication was recently recognized by her colleagues, who selected Dandoy as the recipient of the 2024 Dietrich College Staff Community Excellence Award.

“Wanting to serve as a role model and advocate is clearly in her DNA,” said Gary DiLisio, director of undergraduate education for the IS Program. “I’m grateful there are people like Correy in the world.”

From PR to IS

Dandoy’s path to advising at Carnegie Mellon University was not linear. She earned her undergraduate degree in public relations and worked in marketing for a number of years. But this never felt like the right fit, and Dandoy couldn’t help reflecting on her undergraduate work-study job at one of the advising offices at American University, where she developed a passion for working with university students.

So she pivoted. After returning to school to earn a Master of Arts in Student Affairs and Higher Education from Slippery Rock University, Dandoy joined Carnegie Mellon University as an advisor in the Department of Philosophy in 2015. She transferred to the Information Systems Program in 2019. Since switching to advising, Dandoy hasn’t looked back.

 “What I find most inspiring about CMU students is their passion and determination to succeed; it’s contagious!” said Dandoy. “And while I’m guiding them, I’m constantly learning from them, which makes my role so fulfilling.”

Dedicated to DEIB

Dandoy hit the ground running at the IS Program. A month into her time there, she joined the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) committee, which she now chairs. As part of the committee, Dandoy plays a crucial role in awarding scholarships to students interested in attending the Grace Hopper Celebration, the world’s largest conference for women and nonbinary people in tech, and the National Society of Black Engineers Convention, among others. In early 2020, Dandoy was instrumental in circulating a belongingness survey among IS students to help inform DEIB priorities in the coming years.

“Correy embodies the values of DEIB in everything she does in our program,” said Jeria Quesenberry, associate dean of faculty for Dietrich College and teaching professor in the IS Program. “She advocates for DEIB in all facets of her role: academic advising, staff hiring process, student admissions, speaker series, extracurricular activities. These are just a few of the many things Correy has done, and is doing, to celebrate DEIB and act as a change agent.”

Two of the most successful initiatives to come out of the 2020 belongingness survey were the IS Ambassadors and Women in IS peer mentoring programs, which Dandoy leads. Both groups bring together Information Systems students interested in supporting and mentoring each other as they strive for success in the tech field.

A Safe Space to Thrive

The success of Women in IS has been particularly striking. Inspired by the School of Computer Sciences’ Women@SCS, the Women in IS peer mentoring program is dedicated to creating a safe space for women, genderqueer and nonbinary IS students.

“The data consistently shows that these groups are underrepresented in the tech workforce and tend to leave the industry at higher rates, often due to challenges such as limited career advancement and workplace biases,” Dandoy explained. “Our goal was to build a community where these challenges could be addressed collectively, through peer support and one-on-one mentoring.”

The impact of Women in IS has been transformational, said Joe Mertz, director of the Information Systems Program. Mertz explained that over the past two decades, cisgender men have comprised roughly 80% of the IT workforce, and many university programs have struggled to attract and retain students other than men. Carnegie Mellon’s IS Program has always been an outlier in this way, historically enrolling around 40% women, nonbinary and genderqueer students. Since the founding of Women in IS, however, the program has increased that enrollment to over 50%.

“I think it’s no coincidence that this transition coincided with the creation of Women in IS,” said Mertz. “It was the culture created by, and signaled by, this group that Correy has led, which has brought about this wonderful change.”

“The Thread that Ties Us Together”

In large ways and small, Dandoy’s role touches many facets of life in the Information Systems Program and at CMU.

Shryansh Mehta, executive marketing and communications director for Heinz College, which shares the IS Program with Dietrich, said of Dandoy, “Her commitment to nurturing a sense of belonging among staff and students alike is a testament to her genuine compassion. Without a doubt, Correy’s remarkable contributions have significantly enhanced the campus climate.”

Dandoy’s Information Systems advisees agree. Students Amita Goyal and Hanah Ryu wrote, “Correy demonstrates constant dedication and unwavering support to her students, especially in ways that make us feel welcome and included. She goes to great lengths to create a supportive and nurturing atmosphere where students feel comfortable expressing their concerns and seeking guidance.”

Jeria Quesenberry perhaps summed it up best: “Correy is the thread that ties all our faculty, staff and students together.”