CSpotlight: Setting Goals to Succeed

Why did you choose to pursue a degree in computer science specifically at the University of Minnesota?

When I was young, I was introduced to video games through the Nintendo DS and even built my first PC later on. During high school, my first computer class taught me Python; it was very hard, especially online during COVID, and although programming still felt very far away and I wasn't exactly good at it, I enjoyed the process. I applied to the University of Minnesota because it was the only school I could afford while commuting from home—I even planned a gap year to save up, but later changed my mind and did a gap semester.

How did you become interested in computer science? What are your specific interests within the field?

I got into it through video games and sci-fi movies–especially Star Wars, the robots and AI were really cool. I wanted to get into that and possibly be on the frontier of new innovations. I like the parts of computer science that involve making products such as games or websites for the entrepreneurial side, as well as the aspects that focus on optimizing/improving code, which has always appealed to me.

Are you involved in any student groups? What inspired you to get involved? 

I am involved in the Chess Club and previously the Google Developer group, and as of this semester, the Social Coding Club. I decided I wanted to join two extracurriculars—one to learn from and another for fun. I joined the Chess Club, since I played chess when I was younger and made some great friends there. The Google Developer group taught me leadership and public outreach skills and connected me with the computer science community, which was especially important since I didn’t live in the dorms. In Social Coding, I now get to work alongside some really cool developers.

What do you hope to contribute to the computer science community at the University?

There's a couple of different paths I'm thinking of. One is to pursue a master's or PhD, go into research or become a professor. My current networking research has shown me that I really enjoy the academic setting. The other is to start my own business and hopefully travel the world while working. I also hope to collaborate with other students on cool projects and perhaps become a TA to give back to the community that taught me.

Have you been involved with any research on campus?

I reached out to Professor Zhi-Li Zhang and a couple other professors last summer regarding research. The process and waiting was very stressful, but then he responded and got me into the networking lab, putting me in contact with one of his graduate students who gave me material to learn from. I spent the end of summer prepping to work in the lab and, when school started, I finally met everyone. That’s where I was introduced to another project, with the choice of doing the research side or helping with the app the group was working on. I chose the app because it lined up with my aspirations. It was a lot to learn, but my friends in the lab guided me through the process and it really helped by giving me real-world experience. My hard work was noticed, and one of the professors recommended me to Professor Zhang, which led to me being awarded a NSF Research Experience for Undergraduate (NSF REU) Fellowship. I’m very grateful for that opportunity, and I will keep doing this research.

What advice do you have for incoming computer science students?

I’d mostly recommend going to lecture every time. Even though all the stuff is online, being able to work with the professors and hear them explain things in person has been very helpful. 

What are your plans after graduation?

I would love to go down the entrepreneurial path, or the graduate/masters/PhD path. I could start my own business creating websites and games, or go back to school–maybe after a gap year– to pursue a master’s degree. 

Are there any additional experiences you did that you would like to highlight in the article?

I was an orientation leader my first summer here with the Office of Transition Experiences (OTE). Before that, I was too nervous to do an interview like this—I rarely spoke in front of groups or introduced myself to new people. That experience of guiding orientation sessions and meeting a lot of great people taught me so much about campus, boosted my confidence, and has continued to benefit my computer science career.