Lindsay Siovaila
Salesforce / Girl Develop It Indianapolis
Indianapolis, IN USA
"That’s the good thing about college—it’s temporary. So try things and see what you like."
Career Roadmap
Lindsay's work combines: Technology, Non-Profit Organizations, and Learning / Being Challenged
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Don't worry about trying to do everything all at once - score a quick win by completing a tutorial you've been wanting to try, or working on a small project where you can apply a few skills to start building confidence. Also, find a mentor or someone who you can learn from, and ask them lots of questions! Take coding bootcamps, online classes, and workshops to learn as much as you can.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Computer Graphics
Purdue University-Main Campus
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
Born and raised in Indiana.
2.
When deciding where to go to college, she was limited to picking from in-state schools in Indiana due to financial concerns—she was initially worried this would impact her opportunities.
3.
Growing up, she loved art and design, but had no idea how to make a career out of those interests—she decided to pursue a generic technology major where she could gain a variety of skills.
4.
Graduated from Purdue University with her degree in computer graphics technology.
5.
She faced the dilemma that many people in Indiana face about whether or not to stay—says she saw the many opportunities to innovate in the tech field here that aren’t available in other cities.
6.
Early in her career, she was interested in pursuing graphic design, but decided to teach herself how to do software development in order to advance in the tech field.
7.
In making this switch, she began to notice the lack of community and support for women in tech and how her transition into web development was largely facilitated by the great mentors she had.
8.
In order to provide this community to other women in tech, she founded the Indianapolis chapter of Girl Develop It, a nonprofit offering women opportunities to learn web and software development.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
I don't know if Indiana is the place for me.
How I responded:
Many people in Indiana face this dilemma about whether or not to move away, or what opportunities they could have here. I saw the innovation and opportunities developing in the tech scene and knew I could make it work here. Plus, I get to be near my family and enjoy a low cost of living.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
My parents struggled with unemployment for most of my high school and college years. When it came time for me to go to college, I relied on scholarships and grants to get me through Purdue.