In the middle of the twentieth century, computers were commonly known as “thinking machines” and “electronic brains.” Many people were fearful of them. Nowadays, we rarely ponder the relationship between electronic digital computers and human logic. Computers are ingrained in our culture, but many people are unaware of the science behind them. Every time I sit in front of a computer, I wonder what makes them work in such a way. Furthermore, I am always fascinated when I learn something new about them, which is why I am studying Computer Science. Computer Science allows me to continuously improve both of my skills: problem solving and innovation. In my first year of college, I had my first programming class, which was not easy at first, but I ended up falling in love with it. Every time I had an assignment to complete, I used it as an opportunity to push myself further. In other words, I took the assignment to another level by doing something more specialized than what was required to do, which only challenged me to learn more. Even though I learned HTML during High School, a language utilized to display information in a web browser, I still consider Java the first programming language I learned. Since my high school teacher only taught limited content, I did not get to experience the real science behind programming languages. It was in college that I learned what a programmer does. Java is a class-based and object-oriented programming language. It can be written anywhere and run anywhere. It can be used to develop programs with conditions and loops. It requires critical thinking because the program may not execute what you intend to. Not to forget that you need to implement mathematical skills. Throughout the course, I realized that those requirements would not stop me from studying Computer Science. After all, I enjoyed every aspect of it. Being born in a developing country with few resources – money – allowed me to see the impact Computer Science could have in every single industry of the country. It could improve agriculture, commerce, construction, financial services, and even education. As a software developer, I plan to use Computer Science to make improvements in my country. Since I am an international student, this research mentorship program will give guidance to ultimately get a good position in the Computer Science industry. Ultimately, I will acquire experience that is more than necessary to achieve my long-term goals and go further than I could’ve ever imagined. Down the road, I plan to start a non-profit school for girls interested in computer science in Mozambique, which means I need to enrich myself with enough knowledge and experience to make sure that they can learn from me.

Everyone has a different perspective when it comes to a growth mindset. Some people think you are lucky if you ever achieved your goals. In contrast, others believe you can achieve your objective by working hard. In my case, I think we all can achieve our goals through hard work. Thankfully, I was raised by both parents, and I had a good life until my father passed away. Everything was perfect for me, and the only thing I had to worry about was studying well. If I ever wanted a new cellphone, all I had to do was to ask my father. I did not know the value of money until my father passed away. After my father passed away, my life completely changed since he was no longer there to support us financially. Mom was not financially capable of providing the same lifestyle to me, so I had to start making sacrifices. Sometimes all I wanted was a doll, but she could not buy it. Since she was not making a lot of money, no money was left after bills were paid. Can you imagine being a ten years old girl that had to make those choices? Sad, isn't it? The death of my father contributed a lot to my growth mindset. Once I started high school, I started reading books about growth mindsets. My optimism started to develop. I started to believe that if I ever want to succeed, I have to work hard, and the more difficulties I get throughout the road, the better and long-lasting the achievement will be. Reading motivating and inspiring books helped me as well. Thankfully, my mom was there to obligate me to read those books and stories.

I can still clearly remember the day my mom gave me my first cellphone. A cellphone whose default language was English, and little I knew about it. Yet it came with a manual I could not understand a single word because it was in English. Thankfully, the cellphone had icons that could help me. The more I used my cellphone, the more I got fascinated by technology. However, I could get stuck sometimes, which only motivated me to use it more. My interest in the field of computer science can be traced back to my earlier school years. I took it as a subject in high school which aided me in getting more knowledge of the science behind computers. On the first day of my class, the teacher introduced me to the concept of HTML, and the more we talked about it, the more my passion for computers increased. Every time I had an assignment to complete, I used it as an opportunity to push myself further. In other words, I took the assignment to another level by doing something more specialized than what was required to do. I took my first class on programming in my first semester. I was both excited and nervous because I did not know if I could succeed. Also, I was the only girl in the class and it made things more difficult for me. It put more pressure on me because society already expected me to change my major, but this did not stop me from going after my dreams. Thankfully, I was one of the best students in the classroom. Along the way, I realized that what I enjoyed was creating and testing programs in programming languages. As a software developer, I plan to work directly with talented people. We will both plan and implement different strategies for disadvantaged communities using technology. I will bring to these teams my unique perspective and expertise acquired during my studies and together make the best decision for the community. Throughout my academic years, I intend to enrich myself through those opportunities to share my knowledge with everyone interested in computer science. In addition, after my graduation, I plan to start a non-profit organization for girls interested in computer science in Mozambique but have no financial capability to pursue their studies.