How did you choose your major? What did you wish you knew about your major before you came to college?
In elementary school we took a test to figure out what careers we would want to go into in the future. Based on the preferences I selected, such as my love for computers and the fact that I wanted a good work-life balance, I was matched with “software engineer.” I never really gave it that much thought after that. I wish I knew to start learning how to code earlier (before college), because that would have made a lot of things easier.
You’ve had some impressive internships over the past few years. How did you obtain these opportunities?
I got virtually all of my internships through career fairs. Finding a career fair for your major is like a gold mine. When you’re first starting out with no experience, your chances of getting a job just through applying online are virtually nonexistent. Career fairs are good because the recruiter can see you in person, and you can make a case for yourself and make an impression that way rather than just getting rejected by an automated filtering system. I got my first two internships through the NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers) career fair, and my last one I had enough experience to the point where I could just apply online and I was able to get the job that way.
Where are you headed next year after you graduate?
After I graduate, I have a job lined up working in cloud computing at a pretty big company. I start in August and I’m excited to start getting some real-world experience.
What have been some of your favorite memories in college?
I think my favorite memories in college all come from the social aspect. Andrews has a really good community of people and the size of the campus makes it perfect to have a lot of really good friendships. Some of my favorite memories are being in the dorm with my friends, taking trips with my friends, and just going to social gatherings like vespers and club events.
What are some of your hobbies?
I don’t think I really have any hobbies. School is like working 3 different full-time jobs at once -- it’s terrible. I really only have time to do homework and fight the seasonal depression. After I graduate I will rediscover some of my hobbies.
What advice do you have for incoming computer science majors? What about college students in general?
With computer science it’s easy to just take the classes and just go through your four years nonchalantly. But, if you want to be successful in this industry then you need to take time outside of
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.