Cohort Stories: Meet Dante
vol. 5, no. 24 — guest post by Dante Barton
My identity is the characteristics that define me, and my background is the experiences that have made me who I am today. To describe my identity in five words I would use: adventurous, curious, responsible, an opportunist and a risk taker. The idea of experiencing something new and unique as well as having a goal in mind that you wish to achieve has always been a driving force for me. It was due to these traits that I found myself in the computer science field. Growing up my parents instilled in me from an early age a sense of responsibility and taught me that every opportunity is a gift and it’s up to you to choose to accept it. Because of these lessons I was able to travel to Boston and pursue my Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees in computer science. I’ve had the opportunity to take part in various leadership programs as well as game designing classes in high school and it is because of these opportunities that I’ve become who I am today and will forever be grateful to my family, community and teachers for instilling me with these values.
I spent a lot of time playing games on computers as well as looking up things that seemed unique to me, wanting to know everything possible about a topic if my curiosity drew me to it. This sense of curiosity stayed with me as I went from wanting to be a marine biologist, to wanting to be in the medical field like my mom, then finally in high school being exposed to coding for an IT project. Seeing my idea come to life, my fascination took off and I was certain that this is what I want to do with my life.
The ability to bring ideas to life, the challenge that come with tackling a problem, the constant changing and limitless opportunities the innovation industry presents, is what drives me to want to master as much of it as I possibly can.
It is these aspects of innovation that excite me the most about the industry and will continue to drive my future endeavors.
My dream job is to work for a Japanese software company that develops social apps and software that is incorporated into everyday life. I have a passion for the Japanese language and culture as well as a passion for computer science; and the opportunity to work in an environment where I can utilize both is my dream. Admittedly, mastering the material of computer science on its own is an achievement any software engineer should be proud of, but the chance to practice those skills and that knowledge in a different environment provides both a challenge and an opportunity to build connections that will last a lifetime. My first goal after completing my degree and the Hack.Diversity program will be to enhance and make an impact in the Boston community as well as back home in my community. I believe that the experience and connections made through this journey will push me to excel and give me the opportunity to help others with the same goal achieve their dreams.
