Dahnaya Joyner – My Journey of Becoming a Web Developer

By: Will Ma
Dahnaya Joyner in graduation attire
Photo Courtesy of Dahnaya Joyner (STEAM Boston)

Tell us a little about yourself.

My name is Dahnaya Joyner and right now I am a Web Developer. I graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology with a degree in Computer Engineering Technology in 2017. I have always been interested in engineering and technology. Computer Engineering Technology is solely hardware-based engineering, but I switched over to the software side. I’m loving software now, so I’m glad I made the switch.

What got you interested in Computer Engineering Technology?

Growing up, I have always been fascinated by how things work. I have taken a lot of things apart and tried to put them back together. I have always been interested in technology and the Computer Engineering Technology degree was the right decision at the moment. I then transitioned to software and I don’t work on hardware as much now.

Tell us more about your transition to software.

I got my degree in Computer Engineering Technology, the summer of 2017. I got a full-time job right out of college and I eventually found out that the job was right for me. The job didn’t make me happy and I had to pivot to something that gave me career fulfillment. After six months, I ended up getting laid off and that moment was bad. Everything hits you at once and it was a bad time. Being a blessing in disguise, it allowed me to take time off and really try to find what I really wanted to do.

I knew I wanted to stay in tech and go into the software route. I did research online and I found out about coding boot camps. I ended going to General Assembly for web development and now I have a job in web development. I’m very happy with my decision to go to a coding boot camp and work in a job I really like.

General Assembly was a really hard coding boot camp and it was intense. There were a lot of times that I thought I wouldn’t graduate and make it through the program. There was a huge support system and everyone in the class are going through the same struggles. It was a great experience and once I graduated, I felt prepared and ready to enter the field.

What advice do you have for students looking to get into web development?

There are a lot of online resources for web development, so I’d definitely utilize that. You could go to college for web development, but there are definitely cheaper ways. There are coding boot camps now and you should do your research on which one that fits your needs.

Where do you see yourself in 1-2 years?

I definitely still want to do web development and I’m still learning. I’m working in a team where everyone is supportive and I can learn so much. In 1-2 years, I envision myself becoming a more experienced web developer and being the best version of myself.

Any wise words of wisdom to the STEAM Boston community?

Don’t give up. I got laid off my first job and I was in a really bad position. I took the time to find out what I really wanted to do and I’m happy to be a web developer now. Also, imposter syndrome is very real. I deal with it often. But no matter where you are in your journey just know that you’re not doing it for anything and it’ll all pay off.

I also want to shout out my parents. “I’m very thankful to my parents for their constant support. Making a career change is a very difficult decision but I am fortunate to have a great foundation that allowed me to do that. I love you guys!”


Interested in joining the STEAM Boston Community, then visit this link: https://community.steamboston.com/

You will have the opportunity to expand your network and connect with students & professionals in the STEAM field in the Greater Boston area.

This story was originally posted on STEAM Boston’s blog site. Original story here: https://www.steamboston.com/dahnaya-joyner-my-journey-of-becoming-a-web-developer/

 

Co-op Stories: Kelsey Degouveia

By: Kelsey Degouveia

Kelsey is a recent Wentworth graduate of the Biomedical Engineering program with a minor in Biology. Looking back on her time at Wentworth, she shared with us about her very first co-op experience:

  • Tell us about your co-op at Wyss Institute:

My first co-op was at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University. I got to work side by side with a graduate student in the Ingber Lab studying metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer in microfluidic devices. As a Research Associate, I helped a lot with imaging, data analysis, and pharmaceutical comparing chemotherapy with novel treatment drugs. For my sophomore optional co-op, junior year co-op and senior year co-op I was a Research Associate in the Manalis Lab at the Koch Institute at MIT. During my time at MIT, I have had the opportunity to study circulating tumor cells (CTCs) with an optofluidic platform, in real-time, from a small cell lung cancer mouse model. I am involved in the fabrication of microfluidic devices and supplies, maintaining and handling our mouse colony and analysis of tumors cells collected. I have also had the opportunity to explore independent projects using deterministic lateral displacement (DLD) devices and suspended microchannel resonator (SMR) to investigate size separation and growth of CTCs.

KelseyDeGouveia in lab

  • Why were you interested in completing your co-op in the role?

I was interested in joining a research lab because I was curious about medicine and thought I wanted to solve the mysteries of cancer and other diseases. Ultimately research has helped me find my passion for medicine.

  • While on co-op, what project were you a part of, or something that you worked on, that has inspired you? 

I think being a part of a team that is using optics and microfluidics to study biological questions has been so inspiring because it is the perfect balance of my interest in science and education in engineering. The system has been used in so many different collaborations and has allowed me to meet many great researchers and learn about different fields of cancer research. The first project I worked on in the lab, that focused on longitudinal measurements of our SCLC model led to my first publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS).

  • How did you decide you wanted to pursue med-school?

During my first year at Wentworth, I thought research would be the perfect avenue for me to discover the unknown of different disease like cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, but I ultimately realized, after a few years in research labs, that I wanted to help people now, in the moment, and not just work towards a cure for the future.

  • What resources have you found helpful in your application and search process?

Colleges with pre-med tracks have online resources posted for their pre-med students along with helpful information provided by the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) on medical school requirements and virtual medical school fairs that let you chat with admission representatives from schools all over the country. Surprisingly, Reddit had a ton of helpful information on people’s study tips for the MCAT and people talking about their pre-med journey.

  • What is the application/search process like?

The application process is very interesting because each school is unique but great in their own way. I think that for me it has been helpful to make a list of the things that I want in my medical school experience and searching for schools that match that criteria, like a school with great opportunities to continue doing research.

  • What advice do you have for students interested in pursuing med-school?

I think the most helpful thing is to get a head start on communicating with physicians, and other pre-med/medical school student older than you. Developing a relationship with mentor is a fantastic resource for advice, a way to build your network, and someone who can help you understand a very long and difficult process.

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Kelsey! Be on the lookout for our next co-op feature. If you would like to share your co-op experience (positive or not-as-expected), or have any questions about the co-op process, please email us at coopsandcareers@wit.edu.

As always, to make an appointment with your Co-op + Career Advisor call the front desk at 617.989.4101 or stop by the CO-OPS + CAREERS Office.

Fall 2019 Drop-In Hours: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 1:30pm – 4:00pm while classes are in session.

Alumni Spotlight: Ben Kazan, Director of Information Systems and Staff, John Hancock Investments

Meet Ben Kazan, Wentworth Computer Science 11’ Alumnus and current Director of Information Systems and Staff at John Hancock Investments.

Tell us about your current role: I manage and lead an agile team which directly supports and delivers technology for John Hancock Investments.  We largely specialize in data warehousing solutions but also support a variety of business applications that are crucial to our business function.  The team I manage is comprised of analysts, developers, technical experts, and scrum masters – all to deliver a cohesive product to our end users.

Tell us a bit about your Co-op as a Wentworth student: I was a Support Analyst for Harvard University IT (HUIT). I supported the students and faculty in a variety of ways including, maintaining the helpdesk inbound call center, supporting walk up desktop issues at the computer clinic, and managing several computer labs.

What did you learn from during co-op that you still use today? The communication skills and ability to triage/prioritize issues are fundamental skills I learned during my co-op that I use each and every day.  Communication skills by phone, email, and in person were all areas I improved on while with HUIT and those soft skills have gone a long way in furthering my career.  The other skill I use every day is to triage and prioritize issues that may arise. This level of quick problem solving and understanding how systems and processes work together is a skill that is hard to learn, its one of those things you learn by trial and error and my co-op experience gave me many opportunities to build this skill and understand how to keep calm when there are multiple priorities competing for your attention.

How has your career progressed since you left Wentworth? I started at John Hancock with an entry level position as an operations analyst and over time I explored different career paths at John Hancock including: release management, data modeling, production support, project management, system management, and ultimately the director of both staff and systems.  I’ve learned that the finance industry is one that is constantly evolving. Through that change I’ve been fortunate to get different opportunities that have ultimately shaped my view of the John Hancock organization and allow me to understand the various touch points and key contacts across the organization that can help move things along.  At an organization the size of John Hancock, this is a critical skill and the only way to really get all these skills is to try out different roles. John Hancock offers rotational programs to new hire and recent college graduates, which allow you to explore different parts of the organization in 3, 1 year intervals – before settling into a full-time and long-term role.

What advice do you have for students looking for co-ops and soon to be graduates seeking full-time opportunities? Try new things, don’t be afraid to fail, understand what makes you stand out – and own what you do!  Ownership and follow through are skills that will always show your true value, taking on new challenges and owning those as you go is the best way to grow and succeed at any organization.  Aside from this, I recommend finding people within your organization and outside that you can connect with for guidance and mentor-ship. As your career unfolds having people who truly understand what your ‘differentiator’ is, and who will speak up for you and understand what you bring to the table that makes you unique is an extremely important part of career growth.

Want to learn more about what it’s like to work at John Hancock? Join members of their Software Development Program on June 13th for an Info Session from 5PM -7PM in Beatty 401. Register on WITWorks and bring your questions about working as a software developer, what it’s like to work for John Hancock, and how to apply for their Software Development Program. Info Session will include a brief presentation, Q&A time, networking, PLUS pizza and beverages.