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This is the next segment of our blog series highlighting Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors who achieved the Gold milestone and have recently graduated from university. Each blog in the series features a different student and highlights their accomplishments, their experience with the Student Ambassadors community, and what they’re up to now.
Today we meet Felix Omuok who is from Kenya and recently graduated from Kirinyaga University with a degree in Computer Science.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
When you joined the Student Ambassador community in September 2019, did you have specific goals you wanted to reach, such as a particular skill or quality?
When I joined the program, I had a lot of goals I wanted to achieve. Just to mention a few:
- Being the first Student Ambassador at my university, I wanted to ensure that I started an active tech community in school. With the help of my friends, I formed the first tech club in my school that brought lots of students together who are interested in technology.
Computer Society of Kirinyaga
I am happy that as I graduate from Kirinyaga University, we have 5 active Microsoft Learn Student Ambassadors who are keeping the community running. - Ever since I started high school, I always wanted to work with big tech companies and when I joined the university, this seemed impossible until I became a Microsoft Learn Student Ambassador. It was then that I got a chance to interact with Microsoft employees who mentored and guided me on my career. I also got a chance to participate in the Game of Learners initiative by the Microsoft Africa Development Center which helped me sharpen my skills. All these helped me prepare and pass my Microsoft interviews. I will be joining the company as a software engineer in August 2022.
What were the accomplishments that you’re the proudest of and why?
With the help of fellow Student Ambassadors, I organized a 3-week Python boot camp and AI gaming tournament that brought together students from Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Uganda. The tournament helped students learn the fundamentals of Python programming and AI and how to use their skills to build AI-powered bots to compete in a Match Game. I also got a chance to lead a team of 5 students in the first season of the Game of Learners five week long hackathon where we built a system that helped patients get medical services remotely from their preferred medical institution during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our team emerged as the 1st runners up. Lastly, I helped form the first tech community in my school that is now helping lots of students in their tech careers.
What are you doing now that you’ve graduated?
I am currently working as a junior software engineer at Bru.Finance and Whrrl in India, and I will be joining Microsoft as a software engineer in August.
If you could redo your time with the Student Ambassadors community, is there anything you would have done differently?
I would ensure I expanded my horizon and collaborated with students from other continents.
If you were to describe the community to a student who is interested in joining, what would you say about it to convince him or her to join?
The community gives you a chance to do what you love while helping other students learn and grow. You get a chance to interact with professionals in the tech industry who will guide you along the way. There are lots of free learning resources, exam vouchers, and swags. It is amazing.
What advice would you give to new Student Ambassadors?
First learn, but do not do it alone. Do it as a team because this will keep you motivated, then share what you have learnt with other students.
Introduction to Microsoft Azure Workshop
That is the best way to master what you have learnt. Lastly, collaborate with other Student Ambassadors from different regions. This will grow your network.
Do you have a motto in life, a guiding principle that drives you?
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
– Nelson Mandela
What is one random fact few people know about you?
I can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than 1 minute.
We wish you the best of luck, Felix!
Readers, you can find Felix on LinkedIn, Twitter, and GitHub.