Harrisburg, PA
Age
22
Gender
Male
Ethnicity
Black/African
Hobbies and interests
Writing
Soccer
Coding And Computer Science
Rapping
Reading
Adventure
Philosophy
Fantasy
Action
I read books daily
Erasto Omolo
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FinalistErasto Omolo
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FinalistBio
My name is Erasto Omolo. I am very passionate about a variety of things, such as coding, music, soccer(the best sport ever), and helping others.
Being a first-generation student made me hard-working and ambitious. Many see this as a chip in the shoulder, but it pushes me forward. I have no choice but to strive to be the best that I can be. I want to repay my mother, even though she asks for nothing in return. (other than my taste-testing abilities when she cooks for me traditional Kenyan meals to take with me to school).
When I am not playing soccer, studying for an exam, or doing volunteer work, you can find me practicing guitar, listening to music, recording music videos with people in my community, or creating short videos for my youtube channel. I enjoy working with others and creatively solving tasks.
I chose computer science as my major because computers surround our day-to-day processes. Sometimes, we fail to see the benefits they provide us every day. After I graduate, I want to start a web-based startup company that helps students learn how to code and enhance the world's understanding of computers.
Education
University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus
Bachelor's degree programMajors:
- Computer Science
Susquehanna Twp Hs
High SchoolMiscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Graduate schools of interest:
Transfer schools of interest:
Majors of interest:
- Computational Science
- Computer Software and Media Applications
- Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
- Forestry
- Music
Career
Dream career field:
Computer Software
Dream career goals:
Creative Director/Software Engineer
Crew Member
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources2018 – 20202 yearsCashier/Footwear Specialist
Dick's Sporting Goods2019 – 20201 year
Sports
Soccer
Varsity2016 – 20204 years
Awards
- Offensive MVP
- Offensive MVP
- Scholarship
Public services
Advocacy
You Matter — Members2019 – 2020Public Service (Politics)
Culture Club — Founder/President2018 – 2020Volunteering
Kiwanis Key Club — Volunteer2016 – 2020
Future Interests
Advocacy
Volunteering
Philanthropy
Entrepreneurship
Impact Scholarship for Black Students
Born into a world where computer screens fill every part of our day, I felt as though I had no choice but to go into technology. I was 5 years old, accompanying my mother at her community-college's library when I used a computer for the first time. Search engines like Ask.com granted me the uncharted power to access virtually anything that I wanted with the click of a few buttons and a decent Wi-Fi connection. I would find myself spending a plethora of hours searching the web, looking for cool images, playing amusing flash games, and watching videos on YouTube. I was crazed for this device, and every chance I had to go with my mother to the library, I would take it instantly, without a doubt in my 5-year-old mind.
This craze followed me up to High-School when I fell in love with all of the iOS software that I could access on my first phone, the iPhone 6s. Being able to have a device that took pictures and let me edit them with a few taps had me obsessed. I was able to take my pictures of the cool places that I had visited, then edit and share them with my friends without even having to purchase or carry around expensive equipment. I took advantage of the infinitely big App Store, downloading various applications that gave different filters and applied breathtaking effects to the pictures, giving them a completely different look. I tried brand new game applications, testing how high the level of code iOS developers brought to the table by seeing which bugs I could invoke. Afterward, I would watch videos on YouTube for countless hours. I could read, watch movies, take pictures, and send text messages all on a device that could fit in my pocket. The simplistic nature of this device, accompanied by the versatility, and innovative design made me want to do anything that I could do to learn more about how it is made, and help others make it better, and more accessible. Software developers revolutionized the experience 5-year-old me had with computers by making them functional anywhere. The improvement of computers motivated me to pursue a degree in computer science, focusing on software development.
When I was in third grade, I visited Kenya. Before this trip, I was accustomed to having everything I needed, education-wise, at a nearby reach. Led screens, modern technology, and the Internet were normal to me. During the trip, I experienced a change of perspective. After settling down after a long drive into the village after arriving from our flight, my mother convinced me to go to the local elementary school to see how children my age lived. When I got to class, I entered a room filled with wooden benches and long freshly cut log tables. I noticed something that has stuck with me forever. Near the entrance stood a heap of tattered, disregarded, outdated books in a rectangular bin. On the front of the bin was a small leaflet that read, "Library". I thought of the students who would never know the feeling of being immersed in a good book. I wondered how this school was able to provide a sufficient education for my friends if they could not even access a book, the most fundamental way of learning. This provided me with a problem that I would want to solve, implementing modern technology into third-world countries. I will achieve this goal by learning programming languages in JavaScript and gaining knowledge from working closely with my peers and professors.