Alumni Voices: Afsana and the Power of Affirmation
Queens native Afsana R. is striving toward her future with excitement and confidence. She reflects on the power of affirming environments where girls interested in computer science and other fields can thrive. A graduate of The Young Women’s Leadership School (TYWLS) of Astoria, she is a first-year student at Columbia University’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering. Her leadership during high school and her love of computer science have paved the way for her college and career success.
What did you enjoy about being in a girls’ education environment?
I can say with confidence that the constantly affirming environment of TYWLS shaped my growth. All of the teachers create a culture and community where you believe that if you put in the work, you can accomplish anything. Especially coming from a Title I public school, I learned to look at our communities’ strengths in how we tell our stories and not let perceptions of weaknesses define us. Not only did people around me believe in me, but I also learned to believe in myself. One of my favorite phrases from my teachers is, “You know. Even if you don’t know now, you will.”
TYWLS is a place where I had a lot of agency to create welcoming spaces for my peers. I started the Computer Science (CS) Honors Society and led the school’s Hackathons for three years. I still keep in touch with the students who are involved now and it’s really meaningful to see these initiatives continue beyond my time there.
What was your journey to college like at TYWLS Astoria?
My first college trip was in eighth grade – and funny enough it was to Columbia. I remember there was a lot of construction at the time and not the vibe I expected. Over time, I returned to the campus here and at Fordham for different science research summer programs, and I began to envision a future as a college student in NYC.
My teachers and college counselor were so supportive during my college process. My CS teacher at TYWLS, Mr. Andy Jordan, literally changed my life. He was a constant source of encouragement throughout all my years at TYWLS. He gave up his lunch period for three weeks in a row to help me run through practice programming challenges for my technical interviews for a software engineering internship at Bloomberg. All of those efforts helped me land the internship the summer after I graduated and gave me confidence in my college applications.
Students often think about how knowledge gained from school applies to the real world. What is your experience navigating college and career aspirations?
Having a range of internships and research experiences builds upon the foundational things that I learned from school. I entered college as a computer science and software engineering student. I’ve been coding since the sixth grade and I love it, but I don’t know if I’m doing it because I still love it or because it’s comfortable. After interning at Bloomberg, I realized I want to put myself in the space of decision-making behind the crossroads of data and finance, so I changed my major to Operations Research: Analytics with a minor in computer science.
While I was in high school, I applied for and was awarded the really competitive Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship. It includes a generous four-year scholarship towards my undergraduate degree, and also a paid internship with the company. This summer, I’ll be a software development intern at Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle! I’m really excited about the opportunity and the chance to live in a different city as part of the experience. So I would say that education and career exploration go hand in hand.
What advice would you share with Student Leadership Network students who are just beginning to think about college and career options?
I’d say to current students, don’t let the fear of failure stop you from applying and trying for the things you want. Often students, even myself at times, are afraid they won’t get into a program or a school, and that fear prevents people from even applying. Even when I didn’t get into a specific school or program, that process of figuring out how to apply for it, managing my emotions if it doesn’t go as planned, making the best of other great options, all of that is part of personal growth.
Also, I’d highly recommend everyone dorm on campus if you can! You might think you know the city as someone who grew up here, but it’s not until you live in a dorm away from home that you see all that you’re able to access and experience.
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CBI alumna Aileen P. is majoring in Film and Television and minoring in Spanish at Howard University. She aspires to make films in Spanish for her communities to see themselves represented in her work.
