Guest

My name is Omowale Casselle, I'm the director of a Pritzker Tech Talent Labs at the University of Illinois. And what I really focus on is how do we get more people into technology, especially those from underrepresented groups. So that's black, Latinx and female. I didn't come from a background that had a lot of things, so like what I was always focus on is like, how do I become successful in my career so that like I don't have to deal with the same things and like my kids aren't gonna have to deal with the same things? And so in this time period as you go into eighth grade and then ultimately into high school, try to be good at the thing you're doing, right? So like your number one job right now is, to be good at school and to try to learn about what you wanna be good at eventually, right? There's all these sort of like benefits to be young. Lean into being a kid, lean into trying to figure out what you want to do because like there's so much to enjoy to life that like you shouldn't necessarily be defined by what you do for work, you should be designed by like your passions and your interest. And I think that like there's so many things that you can get involved and get associated with it like there's no reason to limit yourself so early 

2021 ASU/GSV
Interviewed in San Diego, CA, but works in Chicago, IL.
advanced-degree
entrepreneur

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.

Director of Pritzker Tech Talent Labs

What are you going to do when you grow up? You need to pick something.

Omowale Casselle

About Omowale

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