For Roslyn, “transitioning from high school to college was a dream come true.” During high school, she wanted to get out as soon as possible, and a family friend told her about the VAST program.” Vermont Academy of Science and Technology, also known as VAST, is an accelerated program that allows high school students to take a full year of college-level classes at Vermont Tech.
The process of getting accepted into the program gave Rosyln a glimpse of what the job application process is like. “There was a tour of the campus, then a test, and finally an interview,” she said. “The interview was the hardest part for me, but I got through it and was so happy to be accepted. That was my ticket into Vermont Tech. From the get-go I knew what major I wanted to pursue, and I decided to go for a four-year degree.”
Roslyn chose Vermont Tech because it was close to where she lived, which allowed her to be a commuter student. “It was nice to be able to go back home every day after classes and eat dinner with my family,” she said. “I also chose Vermont Tech because of the small campus, friendly environment, and amazing teachers. The small classes allow for more individual learning help for students. This was very helpful and integral in my success in understanding my studies.”
With a passion for computers, video games, and exposure to programming in high school, studying computer software engineering was a natural fit for her “The first programming language I learned was python,” Rosyln said. “In high school, I took a game design class where I made a game that had different levels. The main character was a cat and it had to eat mice and run away from dogs. In order to complete a level, the cat would have to eat all the mice. This was where my love for computer software engineering truly blossomed.”
Roslyn found the teachers here approachable and supportive. “When I needed help, I would email the class teacher and they were always quick to respond and were very helpful.” She also found the library was a great place for quiet, productive study time, and said it is where she spent most of her time between classes.”
Roslyn hopes to get a job as a developer/software engineer on a business operations team or working on automation projects for a company. “Automation is one of my many passions in software engineering. Automating a process makes someone’s life easier and it is a gratifying experience to have a working program that positively affects someone else’s workflow.”
Roslyn now works remotely as a business operations developer with Red River. She interned at the company in summer 2019, an experience that led her to discover her passion for automation, she said, and she is currently working on another automation project that will help with the process of testing.
Her advice to incoming students: “Be yourself and explore and discover what you are passionate about. And, if you have a question, ask it. If you are struggling with something, take time to struggle but don’t get caught up in it. Once you have struggled some and get stuck, ask a question to help you move forward. Stay organized and stay focused; time management is key.”
