Chinny Igwuilo on LinkedIn: I’m eager to announce my completion of UNCC CCI’s Learning Community! I’m… (2024)

A few months ago, I had an insightful learning experience at Google Developer Groups (GDG) Charlotte’s event, "Build with AI.” It was an enlightening hands-on workshop where I learned how generative AI tools work under the hood. We also covered common use cases, potential risks, and the importance of responsible AI. Thank you to the speakers Earl Gay and John Manning, MD, FAMIA, FACEP, for their insightful presentations. Inspired by the event, I’ve started exploring the Google Cloud Platform with a $5 credit I received.

A couple of weeks ago, I was delighted to participate in UNCC's LeaderShape retreat, which was truly transformative for me. This unforgettable retreat focused on developing leadership skills through self-discovery, community building, and a commitment to positive change within four days. Those days profoundly impacted my personal growth, teaching me how to lead with integrity and make a meaningful difference in my communities.I was able to transform my perspective on leadership and discover my unique leadership style. During the retreat, we were encouraged to create a vision for something we wanted to change in the world. My vision focused on making resources accessible for other Nigerian youths, empowering them to build what their communities need. This vision not only creates more opportunities within my community but also inspires others to become leaders.Beyond this retreat, I was able to hear powerful insights and form lasting friendships. If there’s one thing I would take away from this retreat, it would be that leadership is the practice of co-creating a more just, caring, and thriving world through uniquely living with integrity! This experience wouldn’t have been possible without Ilana Rivkovich, Michael M., Nadaja P., and all the coordinators and team leaders. I’m incredibly grateful for this opportunity as it helped me gain valuable tools to apply to my journey.#LeaderShape #LeadershipDevelopment #PersonalGrowth

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A few months ago, I went on a fascinating career trek to Lowe's, one of the leading home improvement retailers in the country. This visit provided valuable insights into the latest trends in retail technology and the opportunities available within their organization such as their launchpad program. I greatly appreciate UNCC's CCI Learning Community and Katlyn Anderson, Lindsey Turk, and Scotty Creelman at Lowe's who made this visit possible.

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Although this post is a bit late, I’m so grateful for the chance to experience my first Hackathon at AxeHacks, hosted by GirlsWhoCode, where I had the opportunity to work with an amazing team consisting of Ayisha R., Rama Yakkala, and Hana Geremew. Within 12 hours, we had a great time crafting “UniTech,” a full-stack application that monitors and compares book prices on eBay and at UNCC’s Barnes and Noble. We used Figma for a user-friendly interface, while Python Flask, Beautiful Soup, and Requests libraries powered the backend. I’m incredibly grateful for my teammates and their unwavering team spirit. It was a valuable experience that will help me advance my Software development skills, and I can't wait to participate in more.

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I’m excited to share I’ve been nominated to participate in the UNCC’s Leadership Fellows program. This program focuses on developing advanced leadership skills and behaviors practical for personal development. I’m excited to learn from experienced mentors, connect with a network of passionate individuals, and further develop my leadership skills that I can hopefully implement in my future career!

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Thanks to the UNCC CCI Learning Community, I had the pleasure of participating in a Career Trek to Ally Bank. This experience was truly eye-opening. It provided an inside look at Ally Bank and an opportunity to hear directly from senior leadership about how the organization operates.The day was packed with insights into Ally Bank’s work environment and learning about the necessary goals for getting into a career in Data Engineering/Management and Cybersecurity and what exactly is done in those careers from Tony Li, Justin Farkas, and Kevin Lakey, MBA. Their early talent programs have significantly broadened my understanding of what's possible in the professional world. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to connect with fellow students.I'm incredibly grateful to the Ally Bank team, particularly Sarah Haley and Kristina Kongmany, for welcoming us and sharing their valuable time and knowledge. I gained valuable insight that will shape me as a professional that I look forward to incorporating into my future career.

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Thanks to UNCC’s College of Computing and Informatics Business Partners, I was opportune to visit Charlotte’s TIAA headquarters on a career trek to their cybersecurity department a few months ago. As I was able to meet and hear from computer scientists, I was also able to get a sense of what’s expected on the cybersecurity front. Special thanks to Jared Heintz, Alexander Cortes, Jill Dahlem, Riley Dugan, and W. Jordan Ross for sharing their helpful insights. This experience has increased my passion for cybersecurity and learning about their early talent program has broadened my understanding of the potential within the tech field.

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