With the help of faculty and staff, Class of 2024 graduate Azhar Kimanje discovered his passion for programming which led to starting his own business while still a student. “I would advise incoming students to be as close as possible to their professors because they will support them through any huddles and be their first contact for advice that will save them years of mistakes,” says Kimanje.
Hometown: Kampala, Uganda
What was your most impactful class or professor? My most impactful class was systems design where I got accustomed to the entire Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
What are you excited for in your future career? I am excited to continue working within my passions for outreach, entrepreneurship, augmented reality, and cybersecurity.
What advice do you have for incoming students? I would advise incoming students to be as close as possible to their professors because they will support them through any huddles and be their first contact for advice that will save them years of mistakes. For example I turned to Dr. Saara McCord, Professor Dennis Vickers, Professor Andy Cameron, and Dr. Carlos Arias to plan my undergrad and post-graduation career.
How have you grown during your time at SPU? I have grown professionally and also spread my network within the SPU staff. I did not like programming until my favorite mentor Tyanna Rivera and Kennedy shared a coding challenge which I won, opening doors to my first tech internship with Youthforce. As a result, I grew in my programming skills, confidence, public speaking, and then broke into entrepreneurship to start my very own start-up. I grew closer to the SPU staff and the International Student Services staff with great support from people like Rachel Goodrich.
What is something you wish everyone knew about your major? I wish I knew work experience in internships and research was just as important as class assignments because they would prepare me for what I do after graduation.
