Stories from the Hackery

Nathan Pabst graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

I received a Bachelor of Business Administration, with a concentration in Music Business, from Belmont University in 2006. For the past 10+ years, I've worked in the book industry and held positions in marketing, advertising, sales, and operations. In each role, I've sought out ways to streamline processes and find more efficient ways to complete my work. In 2016, I began experimenting with developing an application to automate an onboarding process I created for work and quickly became engrossed with all the ways technology can solve problems and create value for people. I began reading everything I could find related to technology, listening to podcasts, and watching videos on sites like Lynda.com and Team Treehouse. By 2017 I was hooked and had applied to the Nashville Software School to formalize my training as a software developer. I enjoy building applications that connect people with one another in a meaningful way, add efficiencies to existing processes, and/or improve the life of the user.

Lola Simpson graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

With a background in media production, I was able to work with developers on new websites. I found this to be very intriguing. I slowly started to learn Web and Software development on my own. Years later I enrolled in Nashville Software School to become a full-stack developer. The best part about development is it's constantly changing.

Mehret Kulala graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

My desire to cultivate my problem-solving skill and creativity led me to Nashville Software School. Although the road was a bit bumpy once I started this journey, with a lot of prayer, perseverance and hard work I have made it to the finish line of this programme and have entered a world of continuous learning. Outside of NSS I am a mother of two, who enjoys looking at the smile on my kids face when I act silly with them. I also enjoy attending events or reading books about personal development/self awareness.

Maken Hubbard graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

I am a type of person that enjoys the outdoors and good ole fashion hard work. The feeling of a successful attempt at a task is what drives me to push forward. In my studies of software development, I find that the hard work that is put into coding anything is extremely satisfying and that is my 'why' for becoming Software Developer.

Thomas Dugan graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

I have always been fascinated by modern technology and its implementation in real-world problem-solving. I truly enjoy immersing myself in learning new technologies and being in environments that nurture the cultivation of knowledge. Through my experience, I have been interested in both back-end and front-end development, though I feel great satisfaction watching immediate changes occur in React. I am eager to further discover the utilizations of new and different technologies and data structures.

Corey Lutrick graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

I have always enjoyed doing work that at the end of the day you can see the fruits of your labor and that is the main thing I enjoy about software development. I have always been around the software development field. Both my parents as well as my brother have worked in the filed their whole lives and are a major reason why I wanted to involved myself. I got to see first hand the process they went through while working and then the satisfaction they felt when a project was done. I couldnt help but want to be able to create amazing things like them and feel that same sense of accomplishment

Barry Russell graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

I've enjoyed tinkering with computer hardware since I was young, so when a friend suggested software development with Ruby, it seemed like a perfect fit. It is so rewarding to conceive an idea in my mind and turn it into an actual functioning product. After working on software development in my own free time, I came to NSS to receive formal training in a field that recently became a hobby to me. Upon my graduation, I would like to use my skills to create user-friendly systems that connects various groups of people and fosters global community.

Mary Alice Orr graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

As a child, I tested cookie recipes in my Easy-Bake Oven, conducted science experiments with household items and built toy robots. I wanted to understand how ideas became final products. For the last 6 years, I’ve specialized in digital advertising operations/marketing/site management and along the way, something sparked a realization that I was missing an integral piece to my career path puzzle. I was led to study web development at Nashville Software School after uncovering digital ad fraud in a previous position where the malicious events were executed by code. I felt a responsibility to prevent such events from occurring to my employers in the future and it ignited a new hunger in me to explore programming. Now, I’m excited to take all of the skill sets I’ve gained from previous positions/school and utilize them to my fullest potential as I grow my career in technology.

Drake Morrison graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

Drake Morrison is a Full Stack Software Developer who enjoys exploring the design of problem-solving strategies. Drake values simple, clear, and concise solutions to problems while working in a collaborative team environment. He loves to discover new ideas connected to the process of designing and crafting software. Away from computers he is fond of long hikes in the mountains, and practicing Martial Arts. A bookworm who takes pleasure in running games of Dungeons & Dragons for his friends, Drake is always trying out new mechanics to create an awesome experience for his players. Drake is a person who is deeply interested in “why?” Finding answers to those questions is a lifelong adventure and something that enhances both his professional and personal pursuits while bringing value to those around him.

Leo Taylor graduated with Part-time Web Development Cohort Evening 7.

At the time, it seemed like bad luck to be graduating from college with a music business degree in 2007 while the music industry was toppling and an economic recession was looming. However, this has lad to a fun and interesting journey which ultimately brought me to Nashville Software School. As my guaranteed job in the music industry was rescinded due to layoffs, I found myself searching for work in other fields. From graduation until 2012 I worked as a farmer, drummer, cook, barista, and eventually as an Assistant Plant Manager making wood flooring. In 2013 I obtained an MBA and was promoted to Plant Manager, until I made my move back to Nashville in 2015 to be with my young family. During this time, I had the privilege of staying home with my children while working part time. This afforded me the opportunity to do some soul searching in regards to finding a meaningful and fulfilling career. I had always been interested in learning about new technologies and had found myself studying software development through sites like code academy and team treehouse. I had some close friends who worked in development that persuaded me to look into Nashville Software School. NSS has turned out to be one of the best decisions I have ever made. I have found a great amount of satisfaction from learning to code in such a fast paced environment. Continuous learning is a huge intrinsic motivator for me, and am incredibly excited about continuing my career path as developer.