They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. At 52, I’m proving that saying wrong every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After serving my country in the Army and spending 34 years building my expertise in IT, I made a decision that surprised even me: I enrolled in a Master’s program at Harvard. Some people asked if I was crazy. I prefer to think of it as being curious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed firsthand how technology can transform communities\u2014both for better and worse. That’s what drives my passion for open-source development. When we create tools that are freely available and community-driven, we’re not just writing code; we’re democratizing opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
My military background taught me discipline and service. My decades in IT taught me problem-solving and innovation. Now, my studies at Harvard Extension School are teaching me new perspectives on how thoughtfully engineered software can create lasting positive impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking of learning\u2014I recently had a moment that reminded me why we shouldn’t let fear hold us back. I was worried about taking an advanced Java class this fall, having not written a single line of Java code in over 15 years. So I decided to take a refresher course that was supposed to take a month. I started it this past Sunday, and as of today, I’m already over 80% complete with a perfect score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Turns out, my background in Python and C made Java feel familiar enough that the skills came flooding back. It’s a good reminder that if you have a foundation in something\u2014whether it’s programming, writing, or any other skill\u2014don’t be afraid to stretch into new territory. The fundamentals often translate better than we think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To all my fellow adult learners out there: take that leap. The worst that can happen is you’ll learn something new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every project I work on, every line of code I write, and every solution I architect is guided by one question: How can this strengthen communities?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learning never stops. Growing never stops. And with a full semester of Master’s classes starting September 2nd, I’m just getting started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
#LifelongLearning #OpenSource #VeteranOwned #HarvardStudent #Community #Technology<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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