Kellyne Stephens

What were you doing before you joined The Marcy Lab School as a Software Engineering Fellow?       

Before Joining Marcy, I was a Division 1 Rower and Mechanical Engineering Student at the University of Kansas.

What made you want to apply for the Software Engineering Fellowship?

I needed a change of community and an environment to re-dedicate myself to my learning and growth. At the time of finding Marcy, I was looking into my enjoyment of coding, and thought Marcy would be the perfect place to grow into a software engineer and further develop my character along the way.

How have you most grown while at Marcy?

I started Marcy with very little technical knowledge. Now I have learned so much, empowering me to make web applications for whatever I can think of! I really do feel like a software engineer while working on my projects.

What are some of the ways in which Marcy Lab's Fellowship prepared you for leadership & a long-lasting career in tech?

I was a student ambassador during my time at Marcy, and it allowed me to gain experience telling my story, networking with different people, and practicing public speaking overall.

It’s a big part of Marcy to be resourceful and learn to be autodidactic, meaning you can learn new things on your own. I definitely developed this skill at Marcy by pushing myself to learn beyond the lectures in class and remaining curious about how I can be better.

What advice do you have for incoming Fellows?

Go above and beyond. Yes, you’re learning through the curriculum, but ask yourself: how else can I expand my skills/ what other things can I learn?

If you’re not sure, look at job postings [at companies] you’d like to work for and what they’re looking for. Start there and grow as you go!