After graduation, I started working at H-E-B as a personal shopper. This is a part-time job that allows me to work on my communication skills and customer service skills while also providing me with some income as I continue to search for full-time software engineering opportunities. With an opportunity to be cross-trained in multiple departments, I have been able to learn about my ability to adapt and learn new skills quickly. My effort and dedication to my work have been recognized by my managers and the company, as I have been given a performance-based raise within my first year of working there. I am thankful for the opportunity H-E-B has provided me as I continue to pursue my career goals in software engineering.

UTeach Outreach is a program that helps future teachers earn teaching experience while they are still in school. During the summer, they would host a summer camp program for middle to high school students where they would experience advanced STEM topics such as, but not limited to, engineering, research & inquiry, math, chemistry, and also have an opportunity to enjoy fun summer activities.

I initially joined the program as an Assistant Teacher for its summer camp, where I taught middle to high-school students about Python & Block Coding, circuitry, and engineering design. During my time, I was tasked with creating fun and engaging lesson plans for the students and helping teach and mentor them during the camp. I also had the opportunity to lead a group of students in a project where they had to design, build, and program a machine that would help solve a real-world problem. It was rewarding to see the students learn and grow throughout the camp, and I was proud to be a part of their learning experience.

After my second summer with the program, I was scouted to continue working with them during the school year as an assistant teacher for the Program Coordinator for UTeach. In this role, I assisted in teaching and mentoring college students pursuing a career in education in topics such as electrical engineering and computer science, so they have an easier time teaching those subjects to the students of partnering elementary schools. I produced educational videos going over, on a low level, how each electrical component worked such as wiring them together and programming in functionality. As an additional project, I also contributed to developing a logistical website for the program that helps reduce onsite confusion when college students are deployed out to the elementary schools. The website provides a map of the schools with points of interest such as parking spots, front door entrances, office locations, and even videos showing how to access these points. The project was a success! With me developing the website and another TA creating the video, we were able to reduce on-site confusion completely, according to the program coordinator, giving them a smoother and more efficient teaching experience.

I worked at Walmart as an associate for a little over two years. This was my first job, and I am grateful for the experience it provided me. I learned how to work in a team, communicate effectively with customers and coworkers, and manage my time efficiently.

My effort and skills were recognized by my managers enough to were they would often ask me to train new employees, and I was given the opportunity to substitute for them when they were unavailable. Their trust in me was reputed by the store manager as I was offered a promotion to a department manager, which I declined as I wanted to focus on my studies and pursue a career in software engineering.