My Story by Christopher

My Story by Christopher - August 2022 Scholarship Essay

Ever since I was a young boy I enjoyed interacting with technology. I loved using the internet and playing multiplayer games online with my friends. I would often tinker with my hardware, taking apart my mouse, keyboard and computer and later attempting to reassemble them to learn about the inner workings of such complicated machinery. Being an avid gamer, I learned to modify my computer, optimizing it for performance within my budget. I grew to love the endless possibilities and the complexity that came with the personal computer. In highschool, I was keen on pursuing computer science after graduating. Thus, I began to dive into computer science, taking courses that I hoped would help me during my undergraduate career. I enrolled in AP Computer Science Principles and several math courses. During this same period, I taught myself how to code in python, immersing myself in online courses and delving into a multitude of books, tutorials and projects. In addition, I enrolled myself into my first hackathon. We did not win, however, my team was able to fully flesh out an idea from a basic prompt into a functional project. This was my first experience working with others on a project and I was sold on computer science.
One of the greatest inspirations in the technology and software space, Steve Jobs, once said “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.” The technology industry specifically, is always iterative and on the verge of advancements, moving at lightspeed. Within my own lifetime, I have been able to see firsthand how technology is an amazing vehicle for creating prominent change. Google was able to completely change the way we search for information and our access to democratized information. Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat revolutionized the way we interact with our friends and other people around the globe. Netflix transformed the way we consume television and media while Uber innovated on the age-old idea of ridesharing and taxi service.
Becoming a recipient of the Varsity Tutors Scholarship would not only help me in pursuing a computer science degree at New York Institute of Technology by removing the financial burden, it would motivate me into pursuing further education. To make significant contributions to this competitive field I will be driven towards pursuing a graduate degree or even a PHD. Being of Jamaican descent, representatives in the software engineering field are few and far between, and I hope to change that. This scholarship fund would help me further tread this road of becoming an innovator in the technology industry. We have only seen the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the endless possibilities of what computing power and technology can accomplish, especially when considering the powerful potential of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Receiving this scholarship would not only allow me to continue on my journey into higher education, it would propel me to be the best version of myself with the goal of using technology as a medium to create a valuable impact in the world.