Kathy is majoring in Computer Science. She originally became interested in this degree because her dad is a software engineer, so she had been exposed to CS since age 12. Kathy took many classes in highschool that introduced her to customizable websites, and new technologies she didn’t know about. She loves the ability to be creative and design freely.
Life at UIUC
Favorites: Kathy loves that there are so many diverse groups of people on campus. There is always something to do and learn from the new introductions of these people.
Why Choose UIUC: Kathy knew that UIUC is very well known in Computer Science, as well as being close to home. She was very interested in a Big10 university that had many opportunities on campus.
RSOs
Women in Computer Science – Social Chair
Association Computing Machinery – Member of Marketing Team
HackIllinois – Member of Experienced Team
Extracurriculars
Intramural Badminton
After Graduation
Kathy is not sure on a specific field yet, so she is still exploring new electives. She specifically is interested in combining business and technology.
Advice to Freshmen
“Don’t be afraid to try new things, just understand your limits.” Kathy said that being introverted can make it hard to branch out, but once you do it will get better over time. She also said that making a google calendar will end up being your best friend.
Being a Woman in STEM
Kathy said that her dad encouraged to take classes and try it out in highschool, and always had a very supportive home life especially with the option to study engineering at home. She said even though sometimes you’re one of two women in the class, and it can take a while to get used to it, you begin to understand that you are there for a reason, and deserve to be there.
