Finding My Purpose: Why I Chose Computer Science by Jalise

Finding My Purpose: Why I Chose Computer Science by Jalise - April 2025 Scholarship Essay

In my post-secondary pathway choice, I plan to major in Computer Science. Throughout my whole life, I have always been interested in technology, and soon enough, I realised my dream was to be able to work in this field. This would allow me to be able to continue to problem-solve throughout my life, whether it's practical or in a meaningful way.

My interest started at a very young age, after I downloaded a game mod and wondered how someone made it. At such a young age, I knew nothing about how they managed to figure that out, which I believe is the very moment I knew I wanted to learn much more about technology. Ever since this moment, I knew what I wanted to do.

As I kept learning, I realized computer science is much more than just coding. It’s logic, design, communication, and creativity all at once. You’re building systems that people rely on, whether it’s an app, a website, or something deeper like machine learning algorithms. That mix of technical skill and real-world impact is what kept me interested all these years.

I also like that computer science is a field that never stands still. There's always something new to learn—new frameworks and new approaches. I’ve started getting into cybersecurity and AI, and those areas make it clear just how fast this world is evolving. It’s exciting to think that in ten years, I could be working on technology that doesn’t even exist yet.

Past the technical side, I want to major in computer science because I see it as a tool for change. Technology touches every part of our lives, from education and healthcare to climate science and civil rights. I want to be part of that area that helps out with all provided.

In college, I hope to deepen my understanding of how to fully understand the science behind computers. Ethics in tech is a huge deal, especially as AI grows. I want to be someone who builds with intention—who thinks about bias in algorithms, privacy, and who benefits from the technology being made.

Ultimately, I’m choosing computer science because I want to create things that matter. I want to spend my time building tools that are useful, learning skills that are relevant, and solving problems that actually need solving. This major is the clearest path I see to doing that.