2024 Startup to 1000
January 22 to April 11, 2024
MEET THE PULSE PRODUCT TEAM
(click profile pictures to learn about the participants)
Litao LiProject Manager
Age 19・College Sophomore |
Diana TiartProduct Designer
Age 24・College Accredited |
Maya AponteProduct Marketer
Age 19・College Sophomore |
Peter GuanSoftware Engineer
Age 19・College Freshman |
Yinglin JiangSoftware Engineer
Age 20・College Sophomore |
THE JOURNEY
(click to view demo day presentations)
March 14, 2024
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March 28, 2024
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MEET THE VOICED PRODUCT TEAM
(click profile pictures to learn about the participants)
Cynthia ChoiProject Manager
Age 20・College Junior |
Jason HuaProduct Designer
Age 18・College Freshman |
Marcial CruzProduct Marketer
Age 22・College Junior |
Joanna RodriguezSoftware Engineer
Age 21・College Junior |
Abraham Morales ArroyoSoftware Engineer
Age 22・College Graduate |
THE JOURNEY
(click to view demo day presentations)
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March 14, 2024
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March 28, 2024
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the software engineering role.
I am a great candidate for iOS App developer, because I am good at researching for new information when I am stuck. I am not afraid to seek help with my group members nor do I feel scared to ask questions to people who know the concept better than I do. Being aware that there are many ways to come to the same solution I am a good listener and I let other people pitch their ideas to me.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
I graduated from the University of Illinois Chicago in the summer of 2023. I graduated with a Bachelor in Mathematics and Computer Science. During my time in University I worked at TA98, a non for profit company, as a software developer and as a front end developer. I have also a webpage that helps students and staff members find bathrooms (for: men, women, accessible, and all-gendered) in the East campus of UIC. I did so by using GitHub, Google Api, and Html & typescript. During the first week I got over 6,000 visits on the page, but unfortunately I ran out Google API credits and was forced to shut down the map feature for the webpage. I advertised the page by creating a QR code by using Python and had them be placed all around campus, but without harming any buildings or public places. I am currently looking for employment as a software developer or in IT as a front desk technician.
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the project manager role.
Through extensive experience in both technical and non-technical team settings, I am confident in my ability to effectively facilitate projects, prioritize and resolve issues, and adeptly delegate tasks. Having been immersed in diverse team environments, from hosting to coding, I recognize the importance of communication in project management.
I understand how communication gaps can impact progress, and as a product manager, I plan to place heavy emphasis on clarity to mitigate these issues. Though there are numerous contributors to a successful project, such as organization, risk management, and planning, I firmly believe a successful collaboration mandates transparent and frequent communication.
Utilizing gentle communication, I will ensure that all team members are aligned, informed, and working towards a common goal.
I understand how communication gaps can impact progress, and as a product manager, I plan to place heavy emphasis on clarity to mitigate these issues. Though there are numerous contributors to a successful project, such as organization, risk management, and planning, I firmly believe a successful collaboration mandates transparent and frequent communication.
Utilizing gentle communication, I will ensure that all team members are aligned, informed, and working towards a common goal.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
Considering a career in business or data analytics, I plan to pursue graduate studies in statistics for a deeper understanding of the field. The evolving nature of information and technology drives my aspiration to become an analyst. In my Information Sciences major, the Data Analytics/Data Science pathway offers a tailored approach with a focus on advanced databases, data visualization, programming, and statistical skills.
Looking ahead, I am open to exploring opportunities in both corporate business and the tech industry for full-time employment. The vast and diverse landscape of both sectors presents a multitude of challenges and projects that align with my professional goals. I am particularly excited about the prospect of improving my data literacy and customer relationship management skills within an environment of professionals.
Looking ahead, I am open to exploring opportunities in both corporate business and the tech industry for full-time employment. The vast and diverse landscape of both sectors presents a multitude of challenges and projects that align with my professional goals. I am particularly excited about the prospect of improving my data literacy and customer relationship management skills within an environment of professionals.
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the software engineering role.
I will be perfect fit candidate for Product Designer role with a background in both web and mobile design. My proficiency in Figma allows me to deliver pixel-perfect and visually stunning designs efficiently. I possess skills across all phases of the design process: discovery, ideation, design, prototype, and test. I'm fast learner and I love working in the team and collaborate close with developers to achieve our goals.
I love making interfaces that are easy to use and enjoy seeing how people interact with product that I helped create.
I love making interfaces that are easy to use and enjoy seeing how people interact with product that I helped create.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
I am driven by a passion for Interface Design, I feel great when people use something that I was a part of creation. My learning journey includes professional certificates credentialed by companies like Google and Meta which has provided me with a solid foundation in defining the problem, developing design interfaces using Figma, testing the product and understanding the user.
My aim is to play a key role in the entire design process, from discovery to lunch stage, ensuring the successful implementation of innovative and polished applications.
My aim is to play a key role in the entire design process, from discovery to lunch stage, ensuring the successful implementation of innovative and polished applications.
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the product designer role.
I am well-suited for the product designer role due to my experience in creating products and designs, willingness and commitment to learning, and having a collaborative mindset. I am proficient in Figma and photoshop like tools and am confident in developing wireframes in low-fidelity and am working on improving my skills in creating high-fidelity designs.
Additionally I played a large role in design components for the app created in the app accelerator program, working on both the design of the app, and design of art works for the app store and zoom, and also the website, and in the iOS app development program I created the wireframes and slides along with a partner. The app that my group and I created and published was voted by audience members as 1st for best UI/UX design showing that I am capable of producing accessible design.
I am constantly learning and improving my design skills and have experience using canva in creating social media posts and promotional materials when I worked at my community center and also a promotional banner used by the Chicago Police Department in my neighborhood. I have experience working with people from several backgrounds and personas and from that am capable of crafting meaningful designs to serve various audiences.
In my experience in the app accelerator program, my role was not defined by a single category and I worked across several roles, doing technical coding for the app, designing various components for our product, and crafting user stories and storytelling show that I am capable working across several teams and am able to collaborate at a high level.
From working with coders, I have a better understanding of what designs are actually feasible and will meet deadlines while also catering to the user. From my time working in design and crafting user stories, I understand what the user wants and what they consider to be more key to their experience and how to show that through meaningful storytelling.
Additionally I played a large role in design components for the app created in the app accelerator program, working on both the design of the app, and design of art works for the app store and zoom, and also the website, and in the iOS app development program I created the wireframes and slides along with a partner. The app that my group and I created and published was voted by audience members as 1st for best UI/UX design showing that I am capable of producing accessible design.
I am constantly learning and improving my design skills and have experience using canva in creating social media posts and promotional materials when I worked at my community center and also a promotional banner used by the Chicago Police Department in my neighborhood. I have experience working with people from several backgrounds and personas and from that am capable of crafting meaningful designs to serve various audiences.
In my experience in the app accelerator program, my role was not defined by a single category and I worked across several roles, doing technical coding for the app, designing various components for our product, and crafting user stories and storytelling show that I am capable working across several teams and am able to collaborate at a high level.
From working with coders, I have a better understanding of what designs are actually feasible and will meet deadlines while also catering to the user. From my time working in design and crafting user stories, I understand what the user wants and what they consider to be more key to their experience and how to show that through meaningful storytelling.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
From a young age I enjoyed watching Steve Jobs taking the stage and performing a show and telling about the newest innovations over at Apple. Moreover, I admired the innovations that have been made in nearly any field possible such as medicine, messaging, and technology. In today’s day and age, while the average quality of life has drastically improved, issues across social fronts remain. I took note of this quickly, and began to question how I could play a role in changing the status quo. I realized that technology can benefit others and that the role of business is not just reflected in profits but also in its ability to efficiently move resources around to serve others.
In the future I see myself using the applications of technology, design and entrepreneurship to create technologies benefiting others through means of social impact and inclusion. I aspire to run my own startup with technologies helping shape our society to be better suited for the future and cultivate a world that fosters inclusiveness and ethical practices.
My passion outside of school has always been to help others. In high school I worked at my community center and I realized that I had the power through my own ideas to help others but there were clear limitations. With the applications of technology, not only could I reach a larger audience, but my ideas to help others could be realized. After high school, I have dedicated a lot of my efforts in not only helping marginalized communities and other social impact ventures. My passions lie in not only creating new innovative products that will serve communities but also being able to amplify my voice to lift up others and draw awareness to social issues and potential solutions. I hope to break down barriers that separate communities and will seek to empower them and create meaningful products operating at the intersection of positive social change and design.
And like Steve Jobs, I hope to one day show and tell how I would transform the world.
In the future I see myself using the applications of technology, design and entrepreneurship to create technologies benefiting others through means of social impact and inclusion. I aspire to run my own startup with technologies helping shape our society to be better suited for the future and cultivate a world that fosters inclusiveness and ethical practices.
My passion outside of school has always been to help others. In high school I worked at my community center and I realized that I had the power through my own ideas to help others but there were clear limitations. With the applications of technology, not only could I reach a larger audience, but my ideas to help others could be realized. After high school, I have dedicated a lot of my efforts in not only helping marginalized communities and other social impact ventures. My passions lie in not only creating new innovative products that will serve communities but also being able to amplify my voice to lift up others and draw awareness to social issues and potential solutions. I hope to break down barriers that separate communities and will seek to empower them and create meaningful products operating at the intersection of positive social change and design.
And like Steve Jobs, I hope to one day show and tell how I would transform the world.
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the software engineering role.
Based on my diverse experiences, including my participation in the App Accelerator program and my success with the Instagram account @antisocialvirgo, I am confident that I would be an excellent candidate for the iOS App Developer role.
My comfort with the Swift programming language was significantly enhanced during my time in the App Accelerator program, where I played a key role as the tech lead in developing the "Gather" app. This experience provided me with hands-on practice in Swift, deepening my understanding of its syntax and features. Additionally, I gained practical experience in fetching data from a server and displaying it within an app, ensuring seamless backend integration and a smooth user experience.
My inquisitive nature has always driven me towards leveraging technology to its fullest potential. This curiosity has led me to continuously explore new techniques and technologies in app development, aiming to create apps that are not only functional but also engaging and user-friendly.
Furthermore, my work on the "Gather" app and my Instagram venture @antisocialvirgo, where I created and promoted content, have honed my eye for detail. In the App Accelerator program, I learned to take a design and transform it into a tangible, functioning app. This process involved meticulous attention to design elements, user interface, and user experience, ensuring that the final product was not only technically sound but also aesthetically appealing.
My ability to understand and translate client needs into effective app solutions, coupled with my hands-on experience in app development and design, makes me a strong candidate for this role. I bring a blend of technical proficiency, creative thinking, and a proven track record of successful project completion, making me well-suited to contribute to your team as an iOS App Developer.
My comfort with the Swift programming language was significantly enhanced during my time in the App Accelerator program, where I played a key role as the tech lead in developing the "Gather" app. This experience provided me with hands-on practice in Swift, deepening my understanding of its syntax and features. Additionally, I gained practical experience in fetching data from a server and displaying it within an app, ensuring seamless backend integration and a smooth user experience.
My inquisitive nature has always driven me towards leveraging technology to its fullest potential. This curiosity has led me to continuously explore new techniques and technologies in app development, aiming to create apps that are not only functional but also engaging and user-friendly.
Furthermore, my work on the "Gather" app and my Instagram venture @antisocialvirgo, where I created and promoted content, have honed my eye for detail. In the App Accelerator program, I learned to take a design and transform it into a tangible, functioning app. This process involved meticulous attention to design elements, user interface, and user experience, ensuring that the final product was not only technically sound but also aesthetically appealing.
My ability to understand and translate client needs into effective app solutions, coupled with my hands-on experience in app development and design, makes me a strong candidate for this role. I bring a blend of technical proficiency, creative thinking, and a proven track record of successful project completion, making me well-suited to contribute to your team as an iOS App Developer.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
My educational and career aspirations are firmly rooted in the field of technology, with a clear focus on advancing my expertise in software development. I am working towards obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, which I believe will provide me with a solid foundation in core computing concepts, programming, and software development techniques.
In terms of my career path, I am aiming to establish myself as a software engineer, specifically targeting roles in mobile app development or full stack web development. This goal is strongly supported by my hands-on experience in the App Accelerator program, where I was instrumental in developing the "Gather" app. My proficiency in Swift and my experience with backend data integration are particularly relevant to a career in mobile app development.
Further bolstering my career trajectory is the full stack web development trainee role I will soon embark on. This role represents a significant step in my professional development, offering me the opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge in a practical setting and gain invaluable industry experience. It will provide me with exposure to real-world software development projects and allow me to work closely with experienced professionals in the field. This hands-on experience is crucial for honing my skills in app and web development and will be instrumental in achieving my goal of becoming a software engineer.
My ultimate career goal is to join a forward-thinking organization where I can apply my technical skills, contribute to meaningful projects, and continue my professional growth. I am enthusiastic about bringing my technical acumen, problem-solving capabilities, and a user-centric approach to a role in software engineering. In the long term, I aim to evolve into a leading expert in the domain of mobile app or full stack web development, making significant contributions to the tech industry.
In terms of my career path, I am aiming to establish myself as a software engineer, specifically targeting roles in mobile app development or full stack web development. This goal is strongly supported by my hands-on experience in the App Accelerator program, where I was instrumental in developing the "Gather" app. My proficiency in Swift and my experience with backend data integration are particularly relevant to a career in mobile app development.
Further bolstering my career trajectory is the full stack web development trainee role I will soon embark on. This role represents a significant step in my professional development, offering me the opportunity to apply my theoretical knowledge in a practical setting and gain invaluable industry experience. It will provide me with exposure to real-world software development projects and allow me to work closely with experienced professionals in the field. This hands-on experience is crucial for honing my skills in app and web development and will be instrumental in achieving my goal of becoming a software engineer.
My ultimate career goal is to join a forward-thinking organization where I can apply my technical skills, contribute to meaningful projects, and continue my professional growth. I am enthusiastic about bringing my technical acumen, problem-solving capabilities, and a user-centric approach to a role in software engineering. In the long term, I aim to evolve into a leading expert in the domain of mobile app or full stack web development, making significant contributions to the tech industry.
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the project manager role.
I am a good candidate for the Project Manager role because I bring a versatile skill set that encompasses both technical proficiency and experience in project management, as I have described previously. Because of my background in programming and experience in app and web development, I would have a good idea of project requirements and implementation from a technical sense. I can also support various roles ad needed.
As a product manager, I leverage a skill set that encompasses leadership, effective communication, and organizational skills that will help me navigate through the intricacies of the project successfully. I have an effective communication style and skills, as explained previously, showcase my awareness of the importance of keeping teams well-informed, engaged, and transparent. I focus on fostering a collaborative environment where open communication and diverse perspectives are valued. Through my experiences with working on many team projects, I learned to adapt and find alternative solutions to problems quickly. I am goal-driven and good at reading and understanding people; I use what I know about their strengths and weaknesses and delegate tasks accordingly to get the goals accomplished. I have strong organizational skills and will utilize organizational/productivity tools that will help streamline our process, making sure deadlines are met. I believe that my technical skills, strategic thinking, and interpersonal skills make me a capable product manager.
As a product manager, I leverage a skill set that encompasses leadership, effective communication, and organizational skills that will help me navigate through the intricacies of the project successfully. I have an effective communication style and skills, as explained previously, showcase my awareness of the importance of keeping teams well-informed, engaged, and transparent. I focus on fostering a collaborative environment where open communication and diverse perspectives are valued. Through my experiences with working on many team projects, I learned to adapt and find alternative solutions to problems quickly. I am goal-driven and good at reading and understanding people; I use what I know about their strengths and weaknesses and delegate tasks accordingly to get the goals accomplished. I have strong organizational skills and will utilize organizational/productivity tools that will help streamline our process, making sure deadlines are met. I believe that my technical skills, strategic thinking, and interpersonal skills make me a capable product manager.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
My career goal revolved around making technology accessible and ensuring its benefits reach all, especially underserved communities. Reflecting on my parents who are older and struggle with English, I wish for a world where technology is more user-friendly. To achieve that goal, there are two avenues I want to explore and contribute to the world of technology: artificial intelligence and project/product management. The realm of artificial intelligence fascinates me daily, from AI-generated animation and filters to its impact on coding. I can only imagine how much technology can grow and improve the lives of those in underserved communities. I aspire to work directly with AI, actively participating in its development and diverse fields. This journey may lead me into academia, where I can engage in research and exploration. I am currently researching the vulnerabilities of AI-generated code and developing solutions to insecure code. I am also interested in project/product management because I love innovation and problem-solving. The ever-evolving nature of the tech industry, characterized by continuous innovation, serves as a constant source of excitement and motivation for me. I aspire to be on the front lines of technological advancement, contributing to transformative changes in the field.
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the product marketer role.
I can manage developing a promising outlook to what is being worked on within the product and how that affects the product and its advertising within maintaining focus on our target audience. I am also comfortable with asking the perspective of others in what we are focusing on creating and how their input can better develop our strategy when directing people towards our product.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
My education and career goals are to study philosophy and cybersecurity to see what my capabilities are in the world of critical thinking and how that can be applied to the rapidly advancing technological landscape. I want to test my developing skills to further learn form my mistakes and assess what i can do better as I figure out what works best in developing things like firewalls while also considering my future as an ethical hacker and how I can use many skills that I have learned through a diverse education and work experience to apply to my already growing consideration of ethically challenging questions when studying for cyber security.
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the product marketer role.
I would be an ideal candidate for the project marketing role because my strongest trait is my ability to understand others. I am able to understand target audiences and act as if I am the audience to successfully utilize strategic marketing tactics, language, imaging, etcetera. Not only can I promote products but I can also create demand and expand the presence of the product in the market.
My ability to adapt to dynamic environments and navigate the intersection of marketing, product development, and client expectations makes me confident in my capacity to excel in the project marketing role. I am not only committed to driving the success of the products I work on but also dedicated to fostering collaborative and innovative work environments.
My ability to adapt to dynamic environments and navigate the intersection of marketing, product development, and client expectations makes me confident in my capacity to excel in the project marketing role. I am not only committed to driving the success of the products I work on but also dedicated to fostering collaborative and innovative work environments.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
My education goals center around obtaining my bachelor's degree while actively participating in the school community. I am driven to create an inclusive space for underrepresented individuals, particularly women in STEM and Latinos in college. By providing support and promoting adversity, I aim to contribute to a more welcoming academic environment.
Looking ahead to my career goals, my primary focus is on achieving financial stability. While I haven't decided on a specific career path, I am determined to make a comfortable living. However, my aspirations extend beyond personal success. Ultimately, I want to give back to my family for all they have provided for me growing up and I want to make a positive impact on the lives of those in Latin American countries facing disadvantages.
My career ambitions are rooted in a desire to address socio-economic disparities. I aim to contribute to improving living conditions and environments for those who have limited resources. It is my belief that everyone should have access to a decent quality of life, and I want to play a role in rectifying the imbalances in wealth distribution. My education and career goals are not only about personal growth but also about creating positive change in the world by advocating for inclusivity, helping my family, and supporting those in need.
Looking ahead to my career goals, my primary focus is on achieving financial stability. While I haven't decided on a specific career path, I am determined to make a comfortable living. However, my aspirations extend beyond personal success. Ultimately, I want to give back to my family for all they have provided for me growing up and I want to make a positive impact on the lives of those in Latin American countries facing disadvantages.
My career ambitions are rooted in a desire to address socio-economic disparities. I aim to contribute to improving living conditions and environments for those who have limited resources. It is my belief that everyone should have access to a decent quality of life, and I want to play a role in rectifying the imbalances in wealth distribution. My education and career goals are not only about personal growth but also about creating positive change in the world by advocating for inclusivity, helping my family, and supporting those in need.
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the software engineering role.
I was the project lead for my team in the iOS App Accelerator program and I believe I did a sufficient job of identifying and prioritizing the tasks we needed to complete and the tasks we needed to solve. Although I have a little more knowledge on the engineering side of developing an app, I want to be able to help the entrepreneurship side of production as well, and being a project manager allows me to assist on both sides of the app development process.
During the previous program, I put a lot of trust in my teammates to complete their tasks and they trusted me to do my part as well, so I think I do a good job at building that mutual trust between everyone in a team. I can hold my teammates accountable and approach them about their contributions to the team in a patient and comfortable manner which I believe is an important trait that project managers should have.
During the previous program, I put a lot of trust in my teammates to complete their tasks and they trusted me to do my part as well, so I think I do a good job at building that mutual trust between everyone in a team. I can hold my teammates accountable and approach them about their contributions to the team in a patient and comfortable manner which I believe is an important trait that project managers should have.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
As a Statistics and Computer Science major at UIUC, I plan on pursuing a career in data analysis/science, where I can search for patterns and trends through statistical analysis to enhance business operations for maximum efficiency. In the context of this specific program, I could have first-hand experience with working on features that appeal to the most people or how to maximize profits if we were to monetize this app. Before I could analyze data using computers, however, I have to learn computer science, and being a software engineer through this program will provide me with skills that I can transfer to aspects of computer science I'm also interested in.
I plan on declaring a minor in business; by knowing how a business operates (such as a team developing an app they could monetize), I'd learn about the different strategies businesses use to attract and maintain customers, and also further improve my presentation skills the way Will taught me in the App Accelerator program.
In 10 years, I see myself listening to a company that is adding different features to their app with my team, and it is up to us to analyze what features will drive the app's usage rate up or down. With the presentation and teamwork skills I could learn in these next few months, I can apply them to any workplace I can work at.
I plan on declaring a minor in business; by knowing how a business operates (such as a team developing an app they could monetize), I'd learn about the different strategies businesses use to attract and maintain customers, and also further improve my presentation skills the way Will taught me in the App Accelerator program.
In 10 years, I see myself listening to a company that is adding different features to their app with my team, and it is up to us to analyze what features will drive the app's usage rate up or down. With the presentation and teamwork skills I could learn in these next few months, I can apply them to any workplace I can work at.
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Please describe why you would be a good candidate for the software engineering role.
Having experience over the summer developing an iOS app with my team, I'd say I'm comfortable coding in Swift. I've had a decent amount of experience with programming outside of the classroom as I've interned at a software company where I worked on front-end web development, interned at UIC's IT department as a back-end web developer, involved with a school club where I help research and develop a platform that teaches women financial literacy, contributed to a school club project where we built a robot that turned recycled plastic in 3D printer filament, as well as participated in a hackathon where I worked with a team to prototype an app for a local educational organization. I have had experience both designing apps and websites as well as developing them. Through all my experience, I prioritized our goal as well as what the user would want to ensure we had the right features and a good user experience. I've taken the initiative to contribute to projects that work towards making positive change.
Please describe your education and/or career goals.
One of my long-term goals is to be able to give back to my community by supporting the students in my community through showing support for their interest in computer science. I remember when I first became interested in coding, there was not much support in school for me to further explore that interest. I'd like to be able to give mentorship, give workshops or classes that teach them how to build simple programs, and shed light on the tech field and different avenues within software engineering.
One of my career goals is to shed light on the perspectives of those who're often an afterthought in the development process of a product. I've witnessed what it's like to not be a target audience, struggling to use something that's aimed to improve our lives and ultimately steering away from technology. I'd also like to look into and perhaps transition into a product management role later in my career as I believe having technical knowledge as a PM would contribute to better communication between engineers and PMs could lead to better products. My academic goals are to graduate with my bachelors degree and perhaps pursue a masters degree. I'm not sure if I want to pursue a masters in computer science or a different field yet.
One of my career goals is to shed light on the perspectives of those who're often an afterthought in the development process of a product. I've witnessed what it's like to not be a target audience, struggling to use something that's aimed to improve our lives and ultimately steering away from technology. I'd also like to look into and perhaps transition into a product management role later in my career as I believe having technical knowledge as a PM would contribute to better communication between engineers and PMs could lead to better products. My academic goals are to graduate with my bachelors degree and perhaps pursue a masters degree. I'm not sure if I want to pursue a masters in computer science or a different field yet.
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