Kelly Chen, 22
Kelly Chen: Empowering Women, Leading Hackathons, and Riding the Wave of Innovation
Kelly Chen’s journey into tech started with a challenge she was eager to meet. “I was one of the only girls in my high school computer science class,” she recalls, “but instead of feeling intimidated, I felt motivated to prove myself.” That drive led her to dive deeper into coding and leadership, turning obstacles into opportunities and inspiring others along the way.
Today, Kelly is a powerhouse at Lehigh University. As the founder and president of the Girls Who Code College Loop, she has built a thriving community of over 60 members, hosting weekly events, workshops, and panels to support women in technology. She proudly says, “I wanted to create the kind of support system I wish I had when I was just getting started.” Her commitment extends beyond campus through roles like Social Media Ambassador for the Rossin College of Engineering and active participation in the Entrepreneurship Club. Kelly’s hands-on experience also includes prestigious programs like SiliconValley2024 and the Hatchery Accelerator, where she worked closely with founders and venture capitalists.
Kelly’s passion for building community reaches far beyond Lehigh. She was recognized as a Distinguished Tech Fellow at the Harvard WECode Conference, one of the largest collegiate women in tech events. She also served as a Summer Hub Leader for Rewriting the Code in New York City, organizing tech crawls, networking events, and company visits to bring together diverse women in tech. “These experiences taught me that technology isn’t just about coding,” she explains, “it’s about collaboration, creativity, and community.”
Her official entry into the hacker world came during her freshman summer as part of the MLH Production Engineering Fellowship in partnership with Meta. That experience introduced her to engineering beyond software development and the exciting, fast-paced world of hackathons. Kelly reflects, “It wasn’t just about coding but learning to communicate ideas effectively, solve problems creatively, and work under tight deadlines.” Since then, she has become a leader on campus, continuously working to grow the hackathon culture and make tech accessible to all students, especially first-timers.
Kelly’s strategic mindset shines through her involvement with GitHub Field Day and the Palantir Leadership Conference, where she gained insights from both student organizers and sponsors. This dual perspective helps her secure meaningful partnerships and create exciting, inclusive events at Lehigh. One of her favorite hackathons was JPMorgan Chase’s Code for Good, where she combined her love of entrepreneurship and tech to solve real-world problems. “That mindset of building tech with purpose is something I carry with me every day,” she says.
When she’s not coding or organizing events, Kelly loves snowboarding, a sport she took up recently. “It pushed me to trust myself and keep going even when things felt out of my comfort zone,” she shares. This adventurous spirit mirrors how she approaches challenges in tech and leadership: with determination and an open mind.
Kelly’s favorite programming language is Java, the first language she learned and one that helped her build a strong foundation. Her internships at Visa and JPMorgan Chase gave her real-world experience building scalable systems with Java, deepening her appreciation for the language’s reliability and power.
A fun fact about Kelly is her love for documenting life through video, capturing moments from her NYC internship and tech events. She’s also known for organizing group adventures and spontaneous outings, bringing contagious energy to every space. It is this same spirit of curiosity, community, and creativity that she brings to her work and leadership in tech.
Kelly Chen is not just shaping her own future. She’s paving the way for others to join, thrive, and innovate.
Quick Facts
Kelly Chen, 22
Kelly Chen: Empowering Women, Leading Hackathons, and Riding the Wave of Innovation
Kelly Chen’s journey into tech started with a challenge she was eager to meet. “I was one of the only girls in my high school computer science class,” she recalls, “but instead of feeling intimidated, I felt motivated to prove myself.” That drive led her to dive deeper into coding and leadership, turning obstacles into opportunities and inspiring others along the way.
Today, Kelly is a powerhouse at Lehigh University. As the founder and president of the Girls Who Code College Loop, she has built a thriving community of over 60 members, hosting weekly events, workshops, and panels to support women in technology. She proudly says, “I wanted to create the kind of support system I wish I had when I was just getting started.” Her commitment extends beyond campus through roles like Social Media Ambassador for the Rossin College of Engineering and active participation in the Entrepreneurship Club. Kelly’s hands-on experience also includes prestigious programs like SiliconValley2024 and the Hatchery Accelerator, where she worked closely with founders and venture capitalists.
Kelly’s passion for building community reaches far beyond Lehigh. She was recognized as a Distinguished Tech Fellow at the Harvard WECode Conference, one of the largest collegiate women in tech events. She also served as a Summer Hub Leader for Rewriting the Code in New York City, organizing tech crawls, networking events, and company visits to bring together diverse women in tech. “These experiences taught me that technology isn’t just about coding,” she explains, “it’s about collaboration, creativity, and community.”
Her official entry into the hacker world came during her freshman summer as part of the MLH Production Engineering Fellowship in partnership with Meta. That experience introduced her to engineering beyond software development and the exciting, fast-paced world of hackathons. Kelly reflects, “It wasn’t just about coding but learning to communicate ideas effectively, solve problems creatively, and work under tight deadlines.” Since then, she has become a leader on campus, continuously working to grow the hackathon culture and make tech accessible to all students, especially first-timers.
Kelly’s strategic mindset shines through her involvement with GitHub Field Day and the Palantir Leadership Conference, where she gained insights from both student organizers and sponsors. This dual perspective helps her secure meaningful partnerships and create exciting, inclusive events at Lehigh. One of her favorite hackathons was JPMorgan Chase’s Code for Good, where she combined her love of entrepreneurship and tech to solve real-world problems. “That mindset of building tech with purpose is something I carry with me every day,” she says.
When she’s not coding or organizing events, Kelly loves snowboarding, a sport she took up recently. “It pushed me to trust myself and keep going even when things felt out of my comfort zone,” she shares. This adventurous spirit mirrors how she approaches challenges in tech and leadership: with determination and an open mind.
Kelly’s favorite programming language is Java, the first language she learned and one that helped her build a strong foundation. Her internships at Visa and JPMorgan Chase gave her real-world experience building scalable systems with Java, deepening her appreciation for the language’s reliability and power.
A fun fact about Kelly is her love for documenting life through video, capturing moments from her NYC internship and tech events. She’s also known for organizing group adventures and spontaneous outings, bringing contagious energy to every space. It is this same spirit of curiosity, community, and creativity that she brings to her work and leadership in tech.
Kelly Chen is not just shaping her own future. She’s paving the way for others to join, thrive, and innovate.
