Megan Marsh
Meet Udacian Megan Marsh, who learned Python with Udacity in Intro to Computer Science, and recently jumped from a career in research to tech — congratulations to Megan for starting a new job as a junior developer with Sauce Labs last week!
Why did you take Intro to Computer Science?
I’d taken a Computer Science 101 course in college and was left really disappointed with it, so I wanted to revisit concepts in CS101. I also wanted to learn Python, and since the class was taught in Python it was a way of killing two birds with one stone.
How did you become a software developer?
Transitioning out of research and into tech was a big step! In college I majored in kinesiology, and I worked as a researcher at UCSF. After taking CS101 with Udacity, I was able to pivot and I started at a position as a junior developer at Sauce Labs last week.
My career change was thanks in large part to my Python projects. I posted my Udacity assignments to my GitHub account, along with my own projects. Having a solid foundation, and being exposed to good code in the class, has really helped me build the confidence and skill I needed to make such a profound transition.
What are your biggest takeaways from your time learning with Udacity?
I love online learning because you can work at your own pace. When I didn’t understand something or my attention waned and I totally missed something, I could just replay the video. It’s such a radical thought, that you can take a course and become informed on something without having to grovel or pay out the nose for that knowledge.
Advice for other students?
Come up with a project that’s your own. Something you actually want to see in the world. Having something of your own is really helpful as a learning tool and motivator. I wrote a script that randomly emailed my husband once a month and told him to buy me flowers. It’s a fairly simple concept, but I had to learn a lot of things to implement it.
