Ameen “Al” Sharairi is a software developer intern from Houston who is majoring in computer science with a concentration in information technology.
“I chose to study computer science because I believe that software has made the world a better place, and I want to be a part of that change,” Al said. “Two summers ago, I wrote a Google Chrome extension that hundreds of people across the world use. Getting emails from strangers about how the software I wrote helps them warms my heart and reinforces my passion for software development.”
Al chose to study at UL Lafayette because of the computer science program's impressive reputation and affordability. He's happy with his choice, and he's gaining a solid foundation in programming.
“Since software is an industry that’s constantly changing, it’s impossible to always teach the newest tools and technologies,” he said. “Instead, the program has instilled in me the essential skills I need to pick up and learn any new programming language or tool for years to come.”
His favorite class so far was Programming in .NET/C# (CMPS 358) with Frank Ducrest.
“That class taught me how to apply a lot of the theoretical computer science knowledge I gained in other classes to a real-world software solution," he said. "I loved that the class touched on many concepts and challenges professional software developers deal with every day.”
Al currently serves as the technical director for UL Lafayette’s chapter of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). He even made their website.
“Through SWE, I had the opportunity to attend WE19, one of the largest career fairs for STEM in the country all expenses paid,” he said. “I interviewed with several companies while I was there and accepted a position with Discover as a software developer intern.”
Now, Al is working for the US branch of the UK-based pharmacy automation company Centered Solutions as a software developer intern.
Although Al enjoys many things about UL Lafayette, including how “there’s always so many things to do on campus,” his favorite thing has been his program.
“The computer science program here really lives up to its reputation,” he said. “It’s incredibly organized and the faculty and staff, especially Ms. Nona Istre, do everything they can to set you up for success.”
