Omowale Casselle
Discovery Partners Institute
San Diego, CA USA
"Having a continuous curiosity about the world around you, that’s what makes a life well lived."
Career Roadmap
Omowale's work combines: Technology, Education, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Take classes in technology and work on your problem-solving skills. Take coding classes as well as classes that will help you understand how technology works and how to create it. Even if you don't ultimately become a creator of technology, I believe that learning these skills will set you up for success in the long run.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Mechanical Engineering
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Graduate Degree
Mechanical Engineering
University of Michigan
Graduate Degree
Business Administration
Harvard Business School
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Director of Pritzker Tech Talent Labs:
Bachelor's Degree: Mechanical Engineering
Graduate Degree: Mechanical Engineering
Graduate Degree: Business Administration
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I knew early on that I wanted to go into the automotive industry and work for Ford Motor Company specifically, so I gravitated towards classes that involved science, technology, and mathematics.
2.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as well as my master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Michigan.
3.
I joined Ford Motor Company as part of the product development team, where I developed safety control system technology for Ford vehicles.
4.
After a few years with Ford Motor Company, I co-founded mySenSay, a social recruiting platform designed to connect entry-level employers with college students.
5.
I then went on to lead the development and management of SAMPLEit, an interactive advertising and marketing platform.
6.
After five years leading the technical team for SAMPLEit, I co-founded Digital Adventures, an education technology company focused on teaching kids how to code and build with technology.
7.
In addition to leading Digital Adventures as CEO, I also work as the director of Pritzker Tech Talent Labs at Discover Partners Institute within the University of Illinois.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Society in general:
What are you going to do when you grow up? You need to pick something.
How I responded:
Once you start getting to high school, people start asking you what you're going to major in and what you're going to be when you grow up. There's such pressure to pick something and stick to it. It's rare to know what you want to do at that age. It took me a long time to figure out what I ultimately wanted to do. Don't limit yourself by picking something early because you feel pressured to. Explore your options and enjoy your time while you're young!