Hello dear reader!
Background
My name is Nick Alico, and I am a graduating senior at Penn State studying Human-Centered Design & Development with a focus in HCI. (This is a fancy way of saying I enjoy the intersection of software and UX work.) I am also a Schreyer scholar, and am subsequently completing my Honors Thesis studying competency models and how they can be applied to design and development courses to make for a more individualized and accessible learning experience. In the past, I have completed SWE-focused internships with Oracle, GE Healthcare, and Rockwell Automation.
Outside of class, I am involved with IST Diplomats, Undergraduate Research Ambassadors, Viral Imaginations, UXPA PSU, and serve as an LA this semester.
Why Web Dev?
I've always been a visual learner. Web development is the perfect combination of programming and visual design for me: it allows for complete creativity while supporting the ability to build anything you can imagine. I am very interested in exploring the growth of design systems and aspire to work as a Design Systems/UX Engineer in my full-time gig eventually; web development is where that truly begins. I've had some great opportunities in the past to collaborate on everything from small side projects to Fortune 100 company codebases, but I still feel that I've only scraped the surface of what web development really entails. That's why I want to take this class: to learn about the cutting edge of web components and hopefully be able to casually implement them in my future job.
Other Fun Facts
- I enjoy running and hiking in my free time
- I have competed in the PennApps hackathon twice while in college
- I can solve a Rubik's cube in under 30 sec. (I know I'm a nerd but it's not as hard as you think.)
Drop a follow and reach out if you are interested in connecting! I would love to have a conversation with you!
Top comments (0)