The serendipitous discovery of a passion for computer science has opened many doors for Eseosa Asiruwa ’18, who will head to Adobe to become a software engineer in tools after graduation. “I’ll be helping to build the software that releases new software and updates to the digital imaging operations Adobe has. Photoshop and Illustrator, work like that,” she explained.
Asiruwa said that it was her dual passions for both software development and community service that resonated with the tech giant. In the summer of her junior year, she was busy at work as a software development intern at HP in Cambridge, Mass., as well as serving as a site coordinator for Let’s Get Ready, a free SAT and college prep program for first-generation and low-income students. Asiruwa feels that this led her to develop particularly strong interpersonal and teamwork skills that are a unique asset in the field of computer science.
What really drives her is the ability to inspire others. To Asiruwa, “making a big impact means going back to the community and giving back in ways that I would have liked to have seen when I was younger. Maybe having my own Girls Who Code chapter. Or maybe being a mentor to other students who want to do what I am doing,” she said.
Major: Computer science
Hometown Lynn, Mass.
High School: Lynn Classical High School
After struggling to find her passion in the various requirements for medical school, she said that during her sophomore fall she “decided to take a bunch of different classes, and my roommate recommended I take a computer science course.” Asiruwa quickly realized that the world of coding and software development struck a chord, and she conducted summer research with Professor Stu Hirschfield. “That kind of solidified my feelings for the subject, and I didn’t want to study anything else,” she said.
On her passion for the subject, Asiruwa explained that she “love[s] how challenging it is. But it is challenging in a way that does not feel impossible for me. I also love the fact that, at least at Hamilton, I was lucky to be in classes where people worked so collaboratively and were willing to work together. The environment is so open and friendly.”
Particularly helpful in her academic pursuits has been her advisor, Associate Professor Alistair Campbell. Asiruwa said that “his guidance, knowledge, and always welcoming face were major factors in my ability to do well in my major.”
As she prepares to move to California, Asiruwa reflects back on her journey with pride and surprise. “I think that just being from Lynn (Mass.), which is a low-income community, I never thought that I’d be moving across the country and doing something that I love,” adding that she “gives credit to the Hamilton professors and open curriculum for being able to do so.”
