Pam Antonio

Major: Computer Science

Minor: Mathematics

Major: My major is Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics. I initially thought of taking architecture since I was into arts, however, I realized that it does not present a lot of job opportunities. Hometown: I moved from the Philippines to the United States in 2014. I grew up in a small city called Balanga, Bataan. In the Philippines, I was involved in extracurricular activities in my high school such as volunteering for Red Cross Youth and directing theater plays. My family and I now reside in Ventura, California. Moving was a huge challenge for me and my family. It was not easy. Although now, I am adjusting to the culture, and slowly falling in love with the country!

Why I went to college: I went to college because of the job opportunities it brings to the table. Having a stable income is important for me because I would like to support my family someday. My family stressed the importance of education ever since I can remember, so this has driven me to obtain a college degree. Not everyone in my family has a degree and we saw struggles because of it. My family would like for me to have a better life and they thought that education was the key to success.

Why CSUCI: I chose to go to CSUCI because I feel that there is sense of community within the university. In addition, CSUCI advocates for first generation students, the LGBTQ+ community, and students with disabilities. CSUCI has small class sizes which helps bridge the gap between students and faculty. Why I chose my major: I chose my major because I enjoy coding a lot. I started programming at 12 years old, and I have always been excited whenever I do so. I remember the time I made “Hello World” appear on the screen; I was ecstatic. I realized that I could create all sorts of things in a computer screen. During high school, I had a coding class, and I remember getting super excited every time I enter the classroom. Even though I was bummed for not taking architecture in college, it was replaced with something better. I love Computer Science and I am genuinely glad that I chose it. A fun fact about me is that I like to play the piano.