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Silvana Mendoza Olarte

1x

Finalist

1x

Winner

General information

Hobbies & Interests

  • 3D Modeling
  • Animals
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Coding And Computer Science
  • Beading
  • Computer Science
  • Game Design and Development
  • Dungeons And Dragons
  • Spending Time With Friends and Family
  • Robotics
  • Pet Care
  • Philosophy
  • Jewelry Making
  • Journaling
  • Crafting
  • Gaming
  • Mythology
  • Music
  • Board Games And Puzzles
  • Drawing And Illustration

Reading

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Bio

My life goal is to be a programmer that gives back to my community. I am passionate about using technology to ethically improve our lives. The future of this world relies on this generation of programmers, and I am seeking to be part of that generation. And I think my input as a neurodivergent Latina woman will inspire other immigrant women to pursue their interests despite the hardships they face.

Education

University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Bachelor's degree program

2021 – 2025

Majors:
  • Computer Science

Miscellaneous

Desired degree level:
Master's degree program

Career

  • Software Engineer Intern

    Computer Software · Athenahealth

    Jan 2024 – Jan 2024

Miscellaneous

Dream career field:
Computer Software
Has nursing license:
No

Future Interests

  • Advocacy
  • Volunteering
  • Philanthropy
Straive Accessibility Scholarship
Winner
My experience as a software engineer and web developer has been uniquely affected by my experience as a person diagnosed with ADHD. This perspective has given me direct insight to the problems plaguing the internet when trying to absorb information. Digital accessibility is more of a recent development, and even though it is becoming more widespread, there is still a lot of work to be done to improve websites, many of them being crucial for modern life. In this essay, I will explore three key issues I've encountered: the problem of cluttered text and its impact on readability, the challenges of balancing information distribution on web pages, and the importance of multimedia integration in digital interfaces, especially for educational content. These issues have contributed greatly to my interest in UI/UX, and I aim to continue to learn more about these issues throughout my career. One issue I often notice is having information conveyed in small, cluttered letters. This makes it exhausting to read, as my energy drains quickly. I have always noticed this but was surprised when others didn’t seem to have this problem, thus I want to develop websites and/or applications everyone can use efficiently. Another issue I noticed is that information can be too spread out or cluttered in a website. If a website has information very spread out, then that means the user must have to open a new tab many times, which can easily distract users. The other extreme is having websites have all the information too cluttered, which makes it difficult for the user to actually read and absorb the information since the website is already overstimulating. In one of my web projects, we decided on UI that separates main information into a few blocks on one page, and for more information it could lead to a new page. If I could change something about that, I would maybe use a pop-up page when showing more information, or having a hover function that briefly shows the information for reference. It is a difficult task to balance these two issues, but I still think we should put a strong effort into finding the best medium possible. Lastly, a major issue I find in websites, especially academic sites, is the lack of multimedia. Sometimes text can’t explain everything, for example, if there is a form on a website that needs to be filled and there are instructions in a paragraph, that isn’t the most efficient way to provide information. Instead, it should have brief and concise descriptions spread out next to where the form inputs are and should include almost universal signs that indicate important information. For example, a warning next to an unfilled form. This basic practice can be expanded to UI/UX design on a larger scale. For example, putting a star on crucial information like definitions, and having a diagram next to a paragraph that offers more information. People have differing learning styles, and implemented multimedia can facilitate learning for all. I am taking a class this fall that teaches the principles of UI/UX design. When I was informed of the class I was happy to see that there is a science for something I thought was a small niche, it was validating to see that there's a whole field dedicated to issues I've been grappling with personally. I plan to use the information and training in the class, and everything I have learned thus far with all my side projects, internships and web classes, to always emphasize the importance of accessibility in the products I contribute.
Silvana Mendoza Olarte Student Profile | Bold.org