1) We are provided with free Microsoft programs/tools
2) We are provided with things such as the Lava lounge or the ICS Space for students/TAs/teachers can hang out at
3) We have a wide variety of professional teachers to learn from, as well as a wide variety of different coding subjects/classes we can take to widen our diversity in the field
1. I get to work on fantastic, new, cutting-edge projects and play/work with high end tech.
2. I have the freedom to keep my own schedule, as many courses and jobs are online or low-interaction.
3. The community includes bright, interesting people who understand my outlook on life.
4. Comp Sci is an always changing field wherein I can exercise creativity and constantly improve.
1. We are provided with free online resources in most of our classes that we could refer to even when we finish the class.
2. I feel that we have one of the best advisors at UH Manoa as Gerald Lau always seems to be willing to help with any question you may have, which helps a lot as the path to getting a CS degree can be significantly difficult with no guidance.
3. We have many professors and TA's that are not only professional, but humorous as well which provides for a more comfortable and generally better learning environment.
1. You get to learn from experienced individuals who have established themselves with the various projects they have done.
2. You get to create your own education with the variety of courses offered by the ICS department.
3. You get to learn how to build your own professional persona that showcases one’s experiences and abilities to potential employers.
1. Meeting new people is always a great thing. You get to meet different types of people with different interest and passions of why they chose to do Computer Engineering and/or Computer Science.
2. The free advice for software and hardware. I say this because a lot of ICS students (besides the Engineers), do tend to be more tech-savvy, so you get a lot a of helpful advice on different software that can help you with your daily and professional life. As well as good advice for a more "bang for your buck" technological purchase.
3. The pay off of having a program actual work with little to no bugs. The sense of "Yeah, I made that" is one the greatest feelings, in my opinion.
3 Good things about the ICS program.
1. The study space is awesome. Having a nice air conditioned room to work in and hang around other ICS students is a major benefit.
2. Most of the teachers I have had were very passionate and interested in the things they are teaching.
3. There are a lot of ways to get involved, Gerald is always emailing us the latest events and happenings for ICS students.
1. Community
Access to the ICS Space is something that I really like about being a computer science major. The ICS Space is a great place to hang out between classes and get to know people that are like me. I often study there between classes and if I need help on something, there might be a classmate there to help me. If a classmate needs help, I am more than happy to help them because I also get to strengthen my knowledge in that particular subject.
The ACM Tech Tuesdays were also something that I enjoyed. I was only able to attend one, but I would attend more if I have the time to. The Tech Tuesdays focused on technology topics that were not covered in classes. The topic of the Tech Tuesday that I attended was on websites and DNS. While I had a basic understanding on how these things worked, I was still able to fill in holes in my understanding of these topics. It was also interesting to see what kind of questions other people had that I would not have thought of myself.
2. Advising
Gerald has to be one of the best advisers. Based on what my friends tell me, they feel a little disconnected from their adviser and that they feel that they are just filling out a template. Gerald is a great guy that I can easily have a conversation with. When I go in for advising, I can expect to get great advice, but sometimes I will leave having had a conversation about something completely unrelated. Gerald makes sure that he gives great advice and he also tries to have a conversation to get to know you better.
3. Class size
I like that the class sizes are relatively small aside from ICS 111. The small class sizes allow me to get to know my peers, TAs, and professors better. I see a lot of the same people in my classes and it really encourages everyone to get to know each other. Getting to know my professors is also great because they also get to know me. It feels a lot better when your professor is able to recognize you by name instead of student ID. This ties into the community aspect as well. Although it’s a very small thing, it’s nice when I see my past professors or TAs in the hallway and say hi to them.
Because the class sizes are small, the efficiency of the class seems higher. Sometimes the class will be able to cover material quicker than expected. A professor that I had in the past would fill in the extra time that we had in class with information about the industry and what it is like being a computer scientist. This professor also brought in people to speak in class to tell us about their experiences working in the industry. Because there is no class that focuses on the big picture of what it’s like to be a computer scientist, I found this information valuable.
1. Speak with like-minded people.
2. ICSpace
3. Can choose between a BA and BS.
I am a computer engineering student so my experiences within the ICS department are limited so I will elaborate on my experiences in CENG with a focus on the ICS aspect.
Three good things about being an ICS student:
1. Feel at home. Taking ICS as a major might be very stressful because of the amount of workload. However, this is also the place where people with same interest can meet up and help each other to improve their skills and develop their strengths and weaknesses.
2. While studying in the university, most of my ICS classes open up more opportunities for me while still in school. The faculty and the program itself exposed me to a lot of jobs and possible careers that are looking for undergraduates/fresh graduates who can help building their companies.
3. All of the students in this program are very dedicated to their works and are willing to help other students (like me) to improve my projects.
1. I think the ICS program has a rigorous and professional mindset about computer and technology. Many of the classes approach the topics in a way that carries well into professional computer science-related careers. Many of the courses offered are relevant.
2. Being a college student usually means that many of us can not afford many of the high-priced software that is required for some courses. I really like the Microsoft initiative to provide these software to students and I'm really glad the ICS program is a part of that. Providing all students with a basic foundation of software makes it so students can waste less time worrying about how they are gonna get the software and more time on worrying about how to use and develop on the software.
3. I think the ICS program providing students with outlets to meet professionals already in the field and begin building a professional network is the neatest thing. The ICS department with Gerald is always keeping the students up-to-date on the latest convention or fair that is taking place on campus.
© 2024 Created by Daniel Leuck. Powered by