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Rodney White

485

Bold Points

1x

Finalist

Bio

As an undergraduate student with relevant industry experience in software development, I am seeking scholarship opportunities that will allow me to further explore my interest in application development, cloud computing technologies, and computer networking!

Education

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Bachelor's degree program
2019 - 2024
  • Majors:
    • Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Other
  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Security and Investigations

    • Dream career goals:

    • Software Development Engineering Intern

      Amazon
      2021 – 20221 year

    Sports

    Basketball

    Intramural
    2019 – Present5 years

    Research

    • Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, and Administration

      Eli Lily — Technology Architect Intern
      2022 – 2022

    Future Interests

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    CATALYSTS Scholarship
    Nothing is more important to me than ending racial inequality and discrimination in America, as I do not want my younger siblings to face the discrimination Black people continue to face in our present society. After winning our fight to freedom and provoking the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, why do Black teens face higher poverty rates than Whites and are still four times more likely to be incarcerated? “That was such a long time ago. You really need to get over it,” my White peers say when referring to racial inequalities. But, why then, in 7th grade, after winning my school district's Spelling Bee competition, did my fellow White classmate state with a heavy dose of surprise, “You know…when I first saw you, I didn’t think you would be smart?” I am currently studying Information Sciences and with the knowledge of technology I possess, I plan to use it to impact the world in a way most suitable for this day and age. I have interned at Amazon as a Software Development Engineering intern for two years in a row, so I know what it takes to build an application from end to end. I hope to contribute to ending racial discrimination by utilizing our present interconnectivity and running a social media campaign titled #It’sNotOver. #It’sNotOver aims to oppose the widespread misconception that, because racial inequality was legally outlawed, de facto racial inequality does not still persist in our society. Our recent presidential election may have brought life to a ‘Divided America,’ but it also exposed how influential social media is. By raising awareness of racial disparities that occur everywhere, I might encourage a new wave of change in our country like that of the present Time’s Up movement. Furthermore, if I can access the influence of celebrities in my #It’sNotOver campaign, like that of Time’s Up, I might similarly capture the attention of millions of people and inspire action against this issue across the globe. I know that social media can only do so much in addressing these issues as not everyone can afford the luxury of having internet access. However, I hope that my campaign can inspire all those who do have access to take it upon themselves to be the change by being inspired by the fact that we are globally united in this issue. Although I expect negativity and criticism from people who either do not believe that this issue exists or do not believe in our cause, I am willing to encounter it if it means our society as a whole irrevocably can grow to accept each other’s differences.