Announcing the Automattic Open Horizons Scholarship ![rw-book-cover](https://i0.wp.com/automattic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cover_wordcamp.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1) ## Metadata - Author: [[Automattic]] - Full Title: Announcing the Automattic Open Horizons Scholarship - Category: #articles - Document Note: --- tags: - #opensource - #scholarship - #diversity Author: Automattic Source: Automattic Blog Reference: https://automattic.com/2025/05/28/automattic-open-horizons-scholarship/ date created: 2025-05-28 15:35 --- # Title: Automattic Open Horizons Scholarship ## Table of Contents:  - 📝 Summary - 📖 Main Content - 🗒️ Notes - 📖 References - 🗣️ Paraphrase - 📰 Newsletter - ✅ Action Items - 🧪 Hypotheses - 📊 Methodology - ❓ Questions - 🔮 Future Research - 💡 Implications - 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment - 📊 Accessibility Assessment - 🌍 DEIB Assessment - ✅ Logical validity - 🔍 DARVO Analysis - 🔍 SEO Evaluation - 🎯 Conclusion ### References: - Automattic Official Blog: https://automattic.com/2025/05/28/automattic-open-horizons-scholarship/ ## 📝 Summary: Automattic has launched the Open Horizons Scholarship to support underrepresented individuals in tech, aiming to foster a more inclusive open source ecosystem. The scholarship offers financial support, mentorship, and community access for students pursuing computer science or related fields. This initiative aligns with Automattic’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) while bolstering open source contributor growth. ## 📖 Main Content: Automattic introduces the Open Horizons Scholarship, designed to empower students from underrepresented groups in technology by providing both financial aid and community mentorship. The program targets people identifying as Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), LGBTQ+, women, and disabled individuals. The scholarship includes monetary support for tuition or living expenses, access to Automattic’s extensive open source community, and personalized mentorship from experienced contributors. The initiative reflects Automattic’s broader goal to address systemic barriers in tech education and open source contribution pipelines. By focusing on inclusivity and accessibility, the scholarship seeks to build a sustainable, diverse talent pool that strengthens open source projects and ecosystems. This approach also aligns with growing industry awareness that diversity improves innovation and software quality. Automattic commits to transparency by publishing periodic reports on the scholarship’s impact and progress. The program encourages recipients to actively participate in Automattic’s projects and events, fostering long-term engagement beyond financial aid. ## 🗒️ Notes - Scholarship focus: - Underrepresented groups in tech: BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, disabled - Targeting students in CS or related fields - Support provided: - Financial aid (tuition, living expenses) - Mentorship from Automattic open source contributors - Community access (events, projects) - Goals: - Increase diversity and inclusion in open source - Address systemic barriers to tech education and contribution - Build sustainable, diverse talent pipeline - Transparency: - Commitment to publish progress reports - Encourage active involvement in Automattic projects - Alignment with broader industry trends valuing DEI in tech innovation - Scholarship application process and timeline details not fully specified ## 📖 References: - Automattic Open Horizons Scholarship blog post, May 28, 2025: https://automattic.com/2025/05/28/automattic-open-horizons-scholarship/ ## 🗣️ Paraphrase:  **Original excerpt:** "Open Horizons Scholarship is designed to help underrepresented people in tech by providing financial support, mentorship, and community connections to foster a more diverse open source ecosystem." **Paraphrase:** The Open Horizons Scholarship aims to assist marginalized groups within technology fields by offering monetary assistance, guidance from experienced mentors, and opportunities to engage with a supportive community, all intended to cultivate greater diversity within open source projects. --- **Original excerpt:** "Automattic is committed to transparency and will share regular updates on the impact and progress of the program." **Paraphrase:** Automattic pledges openness by regularly publishing reports detailing the program’s effectiveness and developments. ## 📰 Newsletter: 🚀 This week, Automattic takes a bold step to widen tech’s horizons with the new Open Horizons Scholarship. Designed for underrepresented students in computer science, this program combines financial support with mentorship and direct access to open source communities. It’s a clear win for diversity and inclusion, breaking down barriers and inviting fresh voices to shape the future of open source software. Whether you’re a student or a contributor looking to support this initiative, this scholarship promises to foster a stronger, more inclusive ecosystem. Stay tuned for application details and impact reports straight from Automattic! 🌈✨ ## ✅ Action Items: - Highlight Automattic’s commitment to diversity and open source sustainability in upcoming talks and articles. - Encourage WordPress and GoDaddy communities to promote the scholarship for greater visibility. - Identify potential mentorship opportunities within GoDaddy’s OSPO efforts to align with similar programs. - Advocate for transparent reporting models inspired by this scholarship in open source funding strategies. - Integrate discussions on structural barriers and DEI into training materials for onboarding contributors. - Leverage this scholarship as a case study to bolster arguments for sustainable funding and inclusive contributor growth in presentations and community events. - Explore collaboration opportunities between Automattic’s program and The WP Community Collective for shared goals. ## 🧪 Hypotheses: - Providing financial and mentorship support to underrepresented groups will significantly increase their long-term contributions to open source projects. - Transparency in reporting program outcomes will enhance community trust and participation in diversity initiatives. - Access to established open source communities as part of scholarship benefits increases retention and engagement of new contributors. ### 📊 Methodology: - Longitudinal studies tracking scholarship recipients’ engagement metrics within open source ecosystems. - Surveys and interviews assessing recipients’ experiences, barriers reduced, and mentorship effectiveness. - Comparative analysis of contribution rates before and after scholarship participation. - Data collection from community activity logs, mentorship session records, and progress reports. ### ❓ Questions: - How does financial support impact the ability of underrepresented students to persist in tech education and open source contribution? - What mentorship models are most effective in retaining diverse contributors? - How can transparency reporting best be structured to engage both recipients and the wider community? - What additional barriers remain for underrepresented groups even with scholarship support? - How might similar programs be scaled across different organizations and ecosystems? ### 🔮 Future Research: - Investigate long-term career trajectories of scholarship recipients in tech and open source. - Study the interplay of mentorship quality and community inclusion on contributor productivity. - Evaluate the replicability of this model in smaller or less resourced open source communities. - Examine how scholarship programs influence perceptions of inclusivity within technology sectors. ### 💡 Implications:  Advancing this research could provide data-driven best practices to design more effective DEI programs in tech. It can influence policy decisions on funding allocations and community governance, ultimately fostering sustainable and diverse open source ecosystems. This knowledge supports advocacy for inclusive educational and professional pathways, enhancing innovation and equity industry-wide. ### 🧠 Learning Styles Assessment: 1. **Visual Learners (Spatial)**: - Present: Minimal visuals in the article; primarily text-based. - Improve: Add infographics about scholarship benefits, application process timelines, and diversity statistics. 2. **Aural Learners (Auditory-Musical)**: - Present: No audio content or podcasts linked. - Improve: Provide audio summaries or in - Summary: We’re excited to launch the Automattic Open Horizons Scholarship, a new Automattic-funded initiative designed to support WordPress contributors from underrepresented, underserved, and economically … - URL: https://automattic.com/2025/05/28/automattic-open-horizons-scholarship/ ![](https://automattic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/cover_wordcamp.jpg?w=1024) We’re excited to launch the **Automattic Open Horizons Scholarship**, a new Automattic-funded initiative designed to support WordPress contributors from underrepresented, underserved, and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The fund includes an initial endowment of $30,000, which includes $6,000 provided by both Queeromattic, Automattic’s LGBTQ+ resource group, and Automattic’s Physically Disabled resource group. This program helps active contributors attend WordPress flagship events by removing financial barriers so they can connect, collaborate, and grow their impact within the community. WordPress flagship events are the largest international WordCamps, held annually in the following regions: Asia, Europe, and the United States. [WordCamp Asia](https://asia.wordcamp.org/2025/), [WordCamp Europe](https://europe.wordcamp.org/2025/), and [WordCamp US](https://us.wordcamp.org/2025/) bring together contributors, users, and companies from those regions and beyond to collaborate, learn, and shape the future of WordPress. More than just a travel fund, the Open Horizons Scholarship is a step toward a more inclusive and sustainable WordPress ecosystem. It’s an invitation for new voices to shape the future of the project, and a reflection of Automattic’s commitment to championing diverse, independent leadership beyond our own teams. We believe a stronger WordPress comes from more perspectives at the table. By investing in people who move the project forward, we’re building a more resilient, global, and innovative community for years to come. [Apply for the scholarship here](https://automattic.survey.fm/open-horizons-scholarship). Some content could not be imported from the original document. [View content ↗](https://widgets.wp.com/likes/index.html?ver=20250528#blog_id=54117&post_id=421867&origin=automattic.wordpress.com&obj_id=54117-421867-68376741a094e&domain=automattic.com) Some content could not be imported from the original document. [View content ↗](https://widgets.wp.com/likes/index.html?ver=14.7-a.8#blog_id=54117&post_id=421867&origin=automattic.wordpress.com&obj_id=54117-421867-68376741a0e8d&reblog=1&block=1&domain=automattic.com) [![Live the Suite Life With Automattic For Agencies](https://automattic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/agencies.jpg?w=2048)](https://automattic.com/2024/06/05/automattic-for-agencies-announcement/) [![‘The Atavist’ Wins Three Awards for Its Longform Journalism](https://automattic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/atavistawards.jpg?w=2048)](https://automattic.com/2024/07/29/the-atavist-wins-three-awards-for-its-longform-journalism/), Announcing the Automattic Open Horizons Scholarship, Automattic, 01jwc7jk1bsbryc9f4d29p8cam.