Blog Category: Alumni

Like many young adults, Ernesto Rodriguez went to college because it was the expected next step after high school. Since he’d always been interested in technology, software development and cybersecurity seemed like logical subjects to study. But even while pursuing these topics, something didn’t feel right. Ernesto thought back on advice he received from tech professionals, who…

After selling the tech start-up he co-founded, Charles Gedeon wondered what to tackle next. While handling operations at his company, he’d always been fascinated by the work done by the coders on his team, so that seemed like a good place to start.  “That whole process pulled me in,” Charles said. “So I started dabbling…

If career growth begins at the end of your comfort zone, then Chilean native Cynthia Huallanca is on her way to great professional achievements. In 2016, she threw familiarity to the wayside, trading in her homeland’s snow-capped mountains for sandy southern Florida.  Settling into the United States wasn’t without its challenges. Cynthia had worked as a data…

When asked what sparked his interest in coding, Eduardo Vilchez is quick to note that he’s always been intrigued by the interplay between business and technology. After graduating from the Honors College at Florida International University with a BS, and later, an MS in accounting, Eduardo held various finance jobs on the path to becoming a CPA.…

As a fashion designer, Bianca Salomon was building an e-commerce website for her new clothing line. She found the CMS she was working with pretty limiting—and wanted to learn more. Most people in Bianca’s shoes would have read a book, or taken a workshop. Not Bianca. The designer embraces new topics wholeheartedly. So, after a…

As a science teacher and professor, Darlene Holland has noticed a trend in STEM fields. “When minority and female students don’t see themselves represented in certain careers, they seem to think ‘those people doing those jobs don’t look like me, so why should I do them?’” she said. Thanks to the University of Miami Coding Boot…