Desmond Howard is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he chose to pursue a major of computer science within the Engineering school. During his time there, he was a proud member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), was a teaching assistant for an introductory computer science course, and fornutately had the opportunity to teach a half-credit course that focused on the fundamentals of web development in Ruby on Rails. 

Born in Atlanta, Georgia and reared in Lexington, Kentucky, Desmond, especially after college, understands that it truly does “take a village” and he is forever grateful for the precious mentors, friends, family members, teachers/professors, and countless other individuals that helped him get to where he is today. Moreover, being raised by a tireless, intelligent single mother taught him the importance of hard work; a virtue that he still, and always will, hold close to his heart. 

Upon completion of his bachelor’s degree, Desmond began working at Microsoft (Azure IoT), his dream company, as a Software Engineer where he specializes in full-stack web development in the cloud. After staying at the company for a few years, Desmond plans to return to school in pursuit of his MBA, a degree that he hopes will allow him to combine his passion for technology with his yearn of being involved in the business realm. 

If Desmond learned one thing in college it was that health, as cliché as it may sound, really is wealth. He urges individuals, especially those just starting college or those in the midst of their college careers now, to take care of themselves both physically and mentally. It will certainly pay off in the long run.