Stories from our Mentees
Our passion for guiding youth to a self-defined career has connected us to many young people with strong drives and dreams.
Ananya Vegesna
"I remember my first meeting with Dr. Smith where he asked, 'what do I imagine as my end goal?'. Sitting across the table, fresh out of tenth grade, it was the most daunting question I could have been asked. The response I gave was just a culmination of random interests of mine at the time. Yet somehow, Dr. Smith found a way to pick out each of my interests and provide me with opportunities that would help me explore each one of them until I narrowed down my search.
In my senior year when we discussed which colleges I was applying to, Dr. Smith emailed me every month with scholarship opportunities and people I could contact for scholarships. Every year since I have met Dr. Smith, he has helped me to answer the question, 'what is my end goal?'.
Through internship and scholarship opportunities, recommending study habits, and reassuring me through every step of my journey, Dr. Smith has not only helped me answer this question but also helped me in achieving it."
Reza Tabrizi
“I met Dr. Smith about 3-4 years ago when he was my mom’s professor while she was getting her masters in SWE. Initially, Dr. Smith helped me though the process of applying to colleges. He was extremely helpful and kind while working one on one with me to review my applications to different universities. Dr. Smith helped me by not just reviewing my essays, but also reviewing my resumé and the technical aspects of the application.
Later on after receiving acceptances from universities such as Texas A&M, UTD, UC San Diego, and UC Irvine, Dr. Smith helped me through analyzing my options and helping me see everything about different options. Later on after starting college, Dr. Smith helped me with applying to internships. I was informed about companies I should apply to and how to prepare for my interviews. I was able to complete to SWE Internships at BenefitMall and DTCC by the end of summer of 2022. Furthermore, Dr. Smith provided me great advice on how to balance my college and work life. I was able to work 30 hours a week as SWE Intern while also maintaining a 4.0 GPA.
Dr. Smith was always available to answer any questions regarding college, school, or just anything else that he could help with.”
Ati Raouf
"Professor Smith was a tremendous asset for students like me who were looking for employment after graduation. He always provided tips that I found very helpful during the hiring process, such as interview expectations, key items in an offer letter, and follow-up steps. I was fortunate to be his student when he introduced Textron to the classroom as they were to become my future employer. Professor Smith was very supportive of students whose first language was not English. He provided such a great support and encouragement throughout my academic year at University of Texas at Dallas allowing me to graduate and pursue my goals. As his student, I felt very fortunate to be in his class because most of the topics prepared me for my future endeavours. I use many of the lessons at my current job."
Isabella Burda
"Dr. Klyne is nothing short of a great man. He is willing to help you get to where you want by providing resources and simply being present with you during the process. He genuinely has your best interest at heart.
Ironically, when I was a senior in high school, I didn't know how to navigate the college application process. I felt a great amount of stress and anxiety. Fortunately, I crossed paths with Dr. Klyne. He sat down with me and helped me through each part of the college application process. He made it seem so easy. With his help, I got accepted to 9 out of the 10 schools I applied to. Dr. Klyne will assure you that you CAN do whatever it is you aim for IF you put in the work. Sometimes all one needs is reassurance and guidance in the right direction.
Even after I went to college, Dr Klyne made sure to stay in touch with me. As I was growing up, I never felt like I had that guidance when it came to my educational/career journey, but I was fortunate enough to work with Dr. Klyne. I honestly do not know where I would be without him. He is not only an educator, but a mentor and leader. I can say with confidence that he is someone you can trust in helping you in your educational/career journey. I will always appreciate Dr. Klyne."
Natasha Trayers
"I've had Dr Smith as a professor for many classes from my first semester in freshman year all the way to my last semester senior year at the University of Texas at Dallas and he has been a great support throughout my educational journey and career growth in software engineering. I was able to get my first internship my freshman year with his guidance and advice on applying and interviewing often and early. Because of Dr. Smith, I had a more solid plan throughout college and clear goals to work towards as he helped me navigate the different paths I could take within computer science such as grad school, research, and the different career paths in the industry. With his mentorship, I now work in the industry as a software engineer in the Bay Area.
Dr. Smith is always happy to connect with new students and invest time in them during office hours while also staying connected with his past students because he deeply cares about his students' success. He is dedicated to helping people who seek his advice just as I did my freshmen year of college when I had no idea where to start."
Anish Gajera
"I had the privilege of having Dr. Smith as my Intro to SE professor during my first year of college. Since my first day in his class, I had aspired to one day be as well-rounded of an individual as himself. He would teach in a way where all his students were learning and engaging in class.
Dr. Smith is a professor who is always ready to teach and guide his students in any aspect of their lives. I have received quite a bit of insight from him regarding many topics such as my career and how to advance in the field of computer science, school, and how to always try to learn more and apply your knowledge wherever and whenever possible. I was also able to join many tech and company talks/seminars with Dr. Smith during my freshman year, as he would always send useful links to me whenever he could.
Throughout my sophomore year of college, I kept in touch with Dr. Smith and with his help, gained more clarity and insight about the Internship process, and how to better build my resume. His advice enabled me to begin working on more challenging personal projects and greatly enhance my resume. All in all, I am glad to have had a professor like Dr. Smith and am glad that I will be able to keep a genuine connection with him throughout my life. "