At the Forefront of Innovation

By Jacob Poe ’17, B.S. in Software Engineering Junior Software Developer, JPMorgan Chase & Co.

As I began my freshman year at Ohio Dominican, I wasn’t quite sure how my decision to major in Software Engineering would affect my future. I had always been curious about how things work, and I certainly enjoyed using technology, but I had no idea about what was actually taking place “underneath the hood,” so to speak. My decision to study Software Engineering was based more on feeding my own curiosity than it was about continuing along the same path I’d been following in high school, where my best exam scores were in reading, writing and social studies. Up to that point, nothing in my skill set suggested that I’d succeed in a technologyrelated field. Regardless, I followed my curiosity and dove headfirst into, what was at the time, Ohio Dominican’s brand new Software Engineering program.

As one of the first students to study Software Engineering at ODU, my first year was a trial by fire to say the least; however, as I reflect back, I can say with absolute certainty that I gained a better understanding of – and a higher respect for – the material I was learning due in large part to the incredible help and guidance of my professors. During my sophomore year, at the advice of Dr. Alae Loukili, I, along with several of my Software Engineering and Computer Science classmates, signed up to compete in the JPMorgan Chase “Code for Good” event. This 24-hour coding competition for charity attracts college-aged talent from across the country to compete at the JPMorgan Chase & Co. tech headquarters in Columbus. After 24 straight hours (and twenty-something cups of coffee), we presented our product to that year’s charity, the LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF). After seeing some of the other teams’ amazing presentations, I was convinced that we’d go home with nothing more than a cool story and memorable experience. So I was completely caught off guard when our team was named the winner, and our prototype was used as the model for a real app to be developed for, and used by, the LJFF.

This is why I feel so strongly about maintaining a close relationship with Ohio Dominican, even after graduation. My experience at ODU is about more than earning a degree; it’s about amazing people who inspire, encourage and advocate for their students. At ODU, students have the opportunity to discover and pursue their passion, no matter what it may be. In a world that’s ever-changing, I learned firsthand that technology is nothing to be afraid of, and that anyone can succeed if they just try.