Sarah Foster
Major: Computer Science and Math
Minor: Geography
Year: 4th
Sarah Foster is a 4th year student at the University of Florida studying Computer Science and Mathematics with a minor in Geography. She is a teaching assistant in the Computer Information Science and Engineering department where she teaches discrete mathematics. Through this role, she has worked on improving the education experience and refined her instructional skills. She is also an active member of Dream Team Software Engineering where she works on software projects for Shand’s Children’s Hospital. The most rewarding aspect of her work as a teaching assistant and as a Dream Team Developer is seeing the real-life impact that thoughtful technology has on others. Her goal is to take her diverse interests and learn how technology can more positively impact different populations.
Last summer Sarah had the opportunity to intern with Liberty Mutual Insurance as a Software Engineer. Through this experience, she participated on an agile team, received company work, and produced deliverables that she deployed to production. This provided her with an industry view of full-stack software engineering and the lifecycle of software products. She is ecstatic to start her career as a software engineer after graduation in May of 2024 and lead with the purpose of elevating customer experience and satisfaction.
Sarah enjoys projects that have a positive impact on the intended audience. While she has already developed for students, hospital patients, doctors, and insurance underwriters, she dreams that her impact through technology will reach an even larger audience. While she aims to create software that makes others’ lives better, she also believes to show up as her best every day she needs to take a deep breath away from her computer. To accomplish this, she enjoys hiking and rock climbing in her free time and aims to hike one of America’s long-distance trails in the future.
Michael Hayworth
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Education Technology
Year: 4th
Michael Hayworth is a senior at the University of Florida, graduating in May 2024. He currently serves as the Vice President of the Society of Software Developers, where he has delivered meetings about professional development, web development, and APIs in addition to leading club recruitment efforts to hundreds of students. He has also participated in the University of Florida’s official hackathon, SwampHacks, for two years.
Last summer, he interned with J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. as a Software Engineering Program intern, working on a full stack project that was deployed to the cloud using infrastructure as code. During this time, he successfully completed the Amazon Web Services Certified Cloud Practitioner Exam. Michael’s other experience includes a front-end software engineer internship at Florida Community Innovation, centered around React, and a full-stack software engineer internship at MetroTech IT, centered around concurrent programming.
Michael’s experience mostly lies in building full-stack web applications, but he also has experience with machine learning projects, which he is currently working on in the IPPD Program. After graduation, Michael plans to continue working at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in the full-time Software Engineer Program.
Itzel Maldonado
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Educational Technology
Year: 4th
Itzel Maldonado is in her fourth year of study at the University of Florida, majoring in Computer Science in the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. In May 2024, she will also graduate with a minor in Educational Technology from the College of Education. Itzel was awarded with the Cottmeyer Family Scholarship in 2022 and 2023 by the Computer and Information Science and Engineering Department at UF for her academic excellence.
Currently, Itzel is participating in a Web Assistant Internship with the University of Florida’s Information Technology department. During this internship, she will gain experience in creating and improving website content and accessibility by identifying and addressing issues using web accessibility tools. Itzel has worked on various websites and web applications for group and personal projects as a designer and developer. Some of these projects include a company website, a resource finder application, and a friend-matching site. Itzel has experience working in both the front-end and the back-end, having experience with ReactJS, Angular, C++, and Java. She also has experience with iterative design and conducting user interviews. These experiences have helped Itzel refine her web development and UI/UX skills. In the short term, Itzel is looking forward to working in the professional world as a web developer or software engineer. She is excited to gain technical skills, build professional experience, and develop new relationships.
Itzel grew up in Orlando, Florida, but currently resides in Gainesville, Florida. In her free time, Itzel enjoys crocheting and hanging out with her puppy, Franklin.
John Midel Miclat
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Economics
Year: 4th
John Midel Miclat is a computer science aficionado with a rich curiosity for technology and innovation. Currently studying at the University of Florida, he is working toward a B.S. in Computer Science with a minor in Economics. John hones his passion for technology through various hands-on projects and leadership roles.
Since joining Satlantis, LLC as a DevOps/MLOps Engineering Intern and Scrum Master in May 2023, John has been a vital asset. There, he uses his expertise to streamline processes and foster team collaboration, enhancing code quality and team throughput. His role is a rich tapestry of technical dexterity and leadership, showcasing his knack for directing projects towards success.
Continuing, John serves as a Technical Manager for the Jiating Lion & Dragon student organization, overseeing the development of their business website. Here, he seamlessly integrates his management skills with cultural engagement. He assumes the role of a choreographer and shares the art of Lion Dance with budding talents and skilled peers, if he isn’t the one performing, that is.
John has further demonstrated his technical prowess through noteworthy projects like creating a WAD File System using C++ and developing a programming language compiler from scratch with Java. These ventures not only reinforced his grounding in core computer science concepts but also fueled his passion for exploring beyond the curriculum, delving deep into various programming paradigms.
In addition to his academic and professional endeavors, John commits to mentoring peers at the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers (SASE), sharing experiences and insights rooted in his journey. A visit to his portfolio at www.johnmiclat.dev offers a glimpse into his spirit of curiosity and relentless pursuit of knowledge. As he stands on the cusp of graduation, John is eager to bring his rich repository of skills and passion for technology to industry.
Sara Winner
Major: Computer Science
Minor: English
Year: 5th
Sara Winner is a 5th-year computer science major and English minor who transferred from Miami Dade College to complete her undergraduate degree at the University of Florida Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. She currently maintains two campus positions as the web developer for the University of Florida Innovation Academy and the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. Sara primarily applies new design initiatives to Terminalfour and WordPress websites. Furthermore, she seeks to improve the accessibility of both departments through user-friendly enhancements, written content, and overseeing performance analytics. Sara is assisting in the implementation of the latest university theme on both department websites. Alongside her academic responsibilities, Sara also continues to manage a handful of WordPress websites and Shopify stores for private clients. Other occasional contract work includes copywriting, proofreading, book cover designs, and interior layouts for self-published authors to fulfill a creative outlet.
Sara began working as a self-employed web developer in 2018 to fund her livelihood and education upon moving to Miami, Florida. However, she was initially employed as the web developer of a virtual reality company in the Dominican Republic shortly after graduating high school. Sara spent two gap years working prior to embarking on her academic journey in the United States. She enjoys traveling, studying both human and programming languages, as well as exploring new environments. Her dynamic life has resulted in years spent throughout Central Europe, the Dominican Republic, and the United States. Sara aims to maintain her current clients and job positions until graduation, then aspires to work as a full-stack web developer in the United States or Europe.