What is my identity? I identify myself as a male, Catholic Asian studying Computer Science at the University of Notre Dame. For being an Asian in the technology industry, I face all sorts of stereotypes. One popular stereotype of Asians is that we are all super smart. That may be true for many, but I was not born with the intelligent genes that people expect me to have. I am an average student who has to work hard to get A’s just like everyone else. I do get uncomfortable sometimes when people approach me for help just because I am Asian who probably knows the answer, but like most people, I’m not good at everything and makes me appear as a fool when I don’t know.
Furthermore, I manifest the Notre Dame stereotype in that I am a Catholic student. Before coming into Notre Dame, being a Catholic meant being in the minority as most of the people around me were not. I didn’t proudly identify myself as Catholic, and my faith felt weaker. So for me, subscribing to the Notre Dame stereotype feels relieving because I don’t have to shy about my religion. Surrounded by many who share the same belief, I feel more welcomed by my community, making me proud of my identity.
Attending Notre Dame is a great privilege for me because I not only am around other Catholics like me but also get to receive one of the best education in the United States. Having the opportunity to learn in a prestigious institution that offers great resources and wonderful professors is something that only a few people get to have, and I feel extremely lucky that I get to be in this position in my life. With this education, I was offered a full-time position with a generous salary as a starting software engineer. Almost everyday, I am reminded of how fortunate I am from the people around me. My friends always tell me that not many professions offer as much compensation for recent graduates like this, so being successful in the field of Computer Science means a lot to me. Doing something I enjoy as my primary career while being paid with great salary is a great privilege that I will never forget.
During my time at Notre Dame, I have learned and experienced so many things in such a short period of time. I had the opportunity to learn a wide spectrum of Computer Science, from fundamental concepts to hot topics like machine learning, and get hands-on experience on cool projects during my internships. Yet, I never spent the time to reflect what it really meant to be a Notre Dame Computer Science and Engineering graduate. Now that I am thinking about it, I realize that graduating as a Computer Science major here is special. Unlike most universities, Notre Dame is a Catholic institution, where we follow Catholic values, and as engineers from Notre Dame, we have a responsibility to uphold these values. In this privileged position that I am in, I will do my best to contribute my skills to develop technology that can help and even save people’s lives and maintain a positive mindset that aligns with Catholic values.
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