Cohort Stories: Meet Jude
vol. 5, no. 49 — guest post by Jude Antenor
I am originally from Haiti. My passion for technology started when I was in high school after being introduced to HTML by a friend who was studying computer science. However, the interest quickly turned into desperation as I did not even have a computer of my own. After graduating high school, my friend and I had a conversation about what I wanted to study, and he revived that interest in me; hence, my enrollment in computer science School. The journey wasn’t easy, but I was dedicated to achieving my goals. In my senior year, I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, but then the earthquake hit. It was like the world had collapsed on my shoulders, and I could see my future and dreams under the rubble. Two months later, thanks to great leadership from my school’s staff, they reopened their doors. I continued with classes, although under extreme difficulties: no electricity or internet. On top of that, I was sleeping in a tent in my front yard as we were scared of the house shaken by the earthquake.
However, I was so determined that these hardships couldn’t stop me. I pulled myself up by my bootstraps and went back to school. I obtained my bachelor’s degree with honors in October of the same year.
It is fascinating how fast the innovation industry is moving. Every day there’s a new idea. It is a very competitive industry as companies look at problems differently and try to come up with better solutions. In this field, the risk of becoming obsolete is so high that companies or tech people who are not eager to innovate, keep up with learning, try new approaches, and stay updated on industry trends, will be left behind. Technology aims to make people’s lives easier, and there’s always room for improvement. As someone who is always excited to learn new things, improve what has already existed, and bring fresh ideas, this field couldn’t fit me any better.
I moved to the US in 2015, and the goal hasn’t changed. Pursuing a career and succeed in the tech field as a software engineer is what keeps me up at night and what gets me out of bed early in the morning. I am conscious of all the effort that people from different fields make every day to make the world we live in a better and safe place. I also believe it can’t be achieved without technology.
Hand in hand, through technology, I want to play a part and make an impact. I know it requires a lot of sacrifices and dedication, but I am up for the challenge.