Turning Passion Into Innovation: Stephanie Sicilian’s Path to Seidenberg and AI

Stephanie Sicilian (MS in Information Systems ’26), began her Pace journey as an undergraduate Biology major and a student-athlete on the women’s volleyball team on Pace’s Pleasantville campus. Being a curious and driven person both on and off the court, after Stephanie found her passion for technology, she transferred into the Seidenberg School of Computer Science and Information Systems and graduated with a BA in Computer Science, along with a minor in Business. Today, she is a student leader pursuing her Master’s in Information Systems with a concentration in Data Science at Pace’s New York City campus, and constantly setting standards both in the classroom and in all the research projects she is involved in—as you are about to find out from this interview with her.

At Seidenberg, Stephanie was able to finally find the opportunities that her passion for technology always wanted to explore, but was never able to in her high school surroundings.

Seidenberg’s accredited programs, cutting-edge facilities, and hands-on learning opportunities gave me the foundation I needed to succeed.

While she had a general interest in tech and computer science when she enrolled into Seidenberg, Stephanie continued to say that “the rapid growth of artificial intelligence across industries inspired me to deepen my understanding of this groundbreaking field. This is why I chose to stay at Seidenberg for my master’s degree—because of the incredible support I’ve received from faculty and peers across both campuses.”

In the first semester of her master’s program, the Information Systems Principles course set the stage for some of Stephanie’s most impactful experiences. In that class, she had an opportunity to write a conference paper and develop a full-stack working prototype. Under the guidance of Dr. Youngsoo Shin, she worked with her peers Himanish Nellutla and Dundi Vyshnavi Durga Majji as the team leader to successfully develop an AI-powered stock investment risk calculator, designed to help novice investors make more informed financial decisions. For Stephanie, one of the most important lessons she learned “was the importance of delivering a quality user experience.” The team’s research heavily focused on understanding the needs of end users, so they conducted voluntary surveys with Pace students to collect critical feedback that shaped the tool’s accessibility and usability.

This project, combining research, technical development, and leadership while solving real-world problems in a user-focused way, only reinforced Stephanie’s passion for tech. “The experience taught me how to balance technical work with leadership responsibilities, but also deepened my appreciation for user-centered design. Writing the conference paper taught me how to present technical ideas for an academic audience, while leading the team allowed me to develop project management and teamwork skills.”

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But, Stephanie’s passion for innovation extends far beyond the classroom. As a graduate assistant to Dr. Christelle Scharff, she has been instrumental in the development of the new Pace AI Lab. In this role, she has worked on building machine learning models, training convolutional neural networks (CNNs), and developing Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs). Her technical contributions have helped shape the lab into a resource for students eager to explore artificial intelligence.

Beyond technical contributions, Stephanie has continued to take on leadership. She has expanded the lab’s presence on campus by hosting events and collaborating with other student organizations to create joint workshops. For example, Stephanie mentioned that “as the Communications Lead for the Google Developer Group on campus, I took the initiative to reach out to certified Google Developer Experts and invited them to speak at our club events. One of the highlights of this role was bringing in tech prodigy Tanmay Bakshi, an AI software architect at IBM, to share his expertise with our community.” Another great opportunity was attending the NYC Google Developer Fest 2024, where she engaged closely with event panelists and got to discuss the importance of inclusivity in emerging technologies.

Stephanie also shared that a standout event for her was hosting the AI Show and Tool workshop in collaboration with the AI Lab, where she and her fellow club members presented AI-driven academic tools to help students enhance their learning. “What made this event truly special was the overwhelming turnout of students who came not only to learn, but to present their own tools as well. The room was fully engaged, with lively discussions and an incredible exchange of ideas that showcased the impact of AI on academic and personal productivity.”

The collaborative environment, access to advanced tools, and opportunities for innovation make Seidenberg the ideal place to prepare for a future in AI and technology.

If all this hunger for innovation wasn’t impressive enough, Stephanie has also stayed connected to her athletic background by returning to her high school as a volunteer coach for the girls’ volleyball team. “As a former captain who led the program to its first state championship title, it was incredibly fulfilling to give back to the team and program that shaped my foundation in teamwork and leadership. Coaching allowed me to mentor and help young athletes in my community grow in the sport. It also provided a meaningful balance to my academic and technical work, serving as a reminder of the importance of discipline, teamwork, and resilience—qualities that have been essential in both my athletic and professional pursuits.”

To wrap up our conversation, we asked Stephanie to name three things that she believes would describe the Seidenberg school. She said that, “First, the supportive community at Seidenberg truly stands out. I was immediately welcomed by faculty, staff, and peers who were eager to help me succeed. This sense of belonging made the transition from another major seamless and inspired me to fully embrace the opportunities available within the field and deepen my passion for learning.”

Secondly, Stephanie pointed out Seidenberg’s emphasis on hands-on learning. Putting in succinctly, Stephanie went on to mention that “from developing machine learning models in the AI Lab to building full-stack prototypes in class, I’ve gained practical experience that bridges the gap between theory and application. Seidenberg’s computing resources, including access to high-performance computing systems and state-of-the-art labs, have been crucial in supporting my technical projects and research endeavors.”

And finally, Stephanie pointed out that “Seidenberg provides incredible opportunities for growth and innovation The school fosters an environment where students can explore cutting-edge technology, network with industry professionals, and showcase their creativity.”