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Alum, Kasey Champion, Forges Her Own Career Path at Microsoft

December 6, 2016

Kasey Champion (BSEE '12). Photo Credit: Microsoft

Kasey Champion (BSEE ’12). Photo Credit: Microsoft

UW Electrical Engineering alum, Kasey Champion (BSEE ’12), discovered her passion for computer science education early on. While at the UW, she worked as a teaching assistant for several classes, blending a fascination with technology with an urge to share it. After graduating, she began working at Microsoft. While there, she continuously volunteered on projects, which centered on computer science education. This dedication and passion led to Microsoft’s Learning Team creating a special job just for her.

In addition to this position, Champion volunteers as a computer science teacher for Seattle Public Schools through Microsoft’s incubator nonprofit – Technology Education And literacy in Schools (TEALS). The goal of the organization is to empower young people by offering computer science classes in high schools. Champion is currently in her third year of the TEALS program. Each morning, she drives to a South Seattle high school to teach. For Champion’s students, they are treated as they would be in the tech community.

“I’ll have high expectations and I’ll give you all the support that you need,” Champion says to them.

This commitment to STEM education, has also led Champion abroad to rural Tanzania. For two weeks, she taught coding, computer science and career skills. Because of limited infrastructure resources, Champion had to often improvise. She taught computational thinking courses when there was no Internet or electricity, allowing students to still think like an engineer.

For Champion, the best advice she can give her students is from her own experience: “You’ll never find more doors open and more opportunities come to you than when you’re sparkling because you’re working on something you’re passionate about,” she says.

Read more about Kasey Champion on Microsoft’s blog:

How one employee mapped her own role at Microsoft