Each month, Code the Dream celebrates one of our dedicated volunteers. This month, we are excited to celebrate Hayley Witherell, Software Engineer at IDBS. Hayley has been both a group instructor and a 1:1 mentor in our Intro to Programming classes, where they work closely with students as they progress through the course. Always ready to jump in and help a student out with a problem, Hayley has been a valuable resource for our community.
Hayley shared some about their career journey and experience at Code the Dream:
Tell us about yourself.
I’ve worked as a software engineer at IDBS for two years. While I got into basic web design in the 90s, I always wanted to learn a scripting language. When the pandemic began, it finally felt like the right time, so I enrolled in Turing School of Software & Design. I graduated from the JavaScript program, but my current role also involves Ruby on Rails. I have been very lucky, because I’ve worked with wonderful folks at both school and work.
Why did you get involved with Code the Dream?
Code The Dream focuses on folks who are underrepresented in STEM and have valuable perspective, experiences, and ability. I appreciate CTD’s mission to make engineering opportunities more accessible to everyone.
What has been meaningful about your experience with Code the Dream?
My favorite part of volunteering at CTD is watching students transition, in just a few weeks time, from never seeing code in their lives to making an entirely functional website. They’re always so proud of themselves, and they deserve it. Coding is not easy.
Anything else you would like to share?
I’m a career changer who went back to school in my mid-30s. That’s still a perfect time to forge a new path. Despite the challenge, if you’re considering learning to code, it’s right for you, and you can do it.
Several students shared about why they appreciate Hayley:
Hayley is a joy to work with! Not only do they have great ideas, a lot of knowledge about programming, and a friendly personality, but they are always fully present in their mentorship meetings. I can tell that they really know about the assignments that we are working on, and I really appreciate their thoughtfulness, preparation, effort, and helpful and supportive attitude, as well as the energy that they puts into those sessions!
Nataly M., Intro to Programming Student
Hayley is awesome – they are always down to help in a very personable down to earth way. In one session they helped with my debugging assignment, and then the next day they helped me find a rouge Git file on my CPU that was causing all sorts of problems for me. A true scholar and a saint!
Tristan W., Intro to Programming Student
Hayley is such a generous and kind person who dedicates their time and energy to the fullest. They always make sure I understand the problem so I can work out the solution on my own. They are truly the BEST!
Aysa M., Intro to Programming Student
