海角社区

As a middle-schooler, 海角社区 Computer Science junior Jamar Whitfield dreamed of going to outer space. This summer, he will have the opportunity to help others do just that when he interns as a Software Applications Engineer at Blue Origin, the space technology company founded by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

The internship is perfect for Whitfield, who became fascinated with outer space as a child, then became a fan of computer science as a high-schooler going into college.

鈥淚 wondered what ways computer science could be applied to space,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t clicked that the control systems for aircrafts, like rockets, are automated programming.鈥�

Whitfield feels that his 海角社区 Computer Science classes have prepared him pretty well for his internship.

鈥淢y 海角社区 CS classes are quite challenging,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 find that the more demanding my classes become, the more applicable they are to the real world. I鈥檓 excited to use the skills I鈥檝e learned at 海角社区 in the real world.鈥�

"Jamar is a shining example of how 海角社区 and the Division of Computer Science & Engineering cultivate the next generation of excellence鈥攖aking their talents as far as space, the final frontier,鈥� 海角社区 Division of Computer Science Chair Abe Baggili said.

Whitfield had to interview alongside more than 100 applicants for the internship position. Though Whitfield has not yet been told what his specific duties will include, they would need to remain confidential anyway. In early May, he will begin the 36-hour drive to Blue Origin headquarters in Kent, Wash., his first time ever being that far away from home.

鈥� I find that the more demanding my classes become, the more applicable they are to the real world. I鈥檓 excited to use the skills I鈥檝e learned at 海角社区 in the real world. 鈥�

鈥淚鈥檓 from Jackson, La., a pretty small town where my graduating class only had 50-60 students,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited about the drive and have been looking at things to do there, like the aircraft museum and national parks like Mount Rainier. There鈥檚 also a ferry that goes from Seattle to Canada, so I might go there for a day or two.鈥�

Though Whitfield鈥檚 highlight would be seeing a rocket launch, he is excited about networking with a new crowd.

鈥淚鈥檓 excited to meet new people, make connections, represent 海角社区, and do the best I can,鈥� he said. 鈥淗opefully, I鈥檒l get a return offer.鈥�

Whitfield, who is working on two degrees at 海角社区鈥攃omputer science and mathematics鈥攑lans on applying to graduate school at 海角社区, possibly in statistics, something that he calls a 鈥渕iddle field鈥� between his two majors. Until then, he plans to live it up in the Seattle area during his summer internship, which he says is 鈥渧ery cool, and one that a lot of people would love to have.鈥�