Abel Lua
¡¿Qué pasa?! I'm Abel and I'm an incoming freshman to CO Mines. Alongside majoring in Computer Science, a personal goal of mine is to gain fluency and retain what I've learned from high school in Spanish. I'm Colorado born and raised, but I don't go out much. Maybe the scenery at mines will change me? Despite trying times I am eager and awaiting the coming year and looking forward to the opportunities CO Mines and PATHS will provide.
Albert Phan
HI! I’m Albert Phan and an incoming freshman to School of Mines. I’m from Colorado and graduated from Mountain Range High School up in Westminster. I’ve taken computer science and robotics in the past, and they’ve shaped my interest and pursuit to major in computer science. I play tennis, I like growing plants, I watch twitch streams, and I game here and there. At Mines and in PATHS, I envision myself making new friends and learning new skills, as well as excited to become a part of a new community!
Alexander Langfield
Hello, my name is Alex Langfield. I am currently majoring in Computer Science, and will be graduating this December, 2021. Outside of computer science I'm actively training for several large climbing routes this upcoming summer (The Nose on El Capitan). As a graduating senior I'm extremely excited to move into a new chapter in life. I continuously strive to find the work life balance without sacrificing too much of either. As Mines students we can all relate to the difficulty of this task.
Amanda Lam
Hi my name is Amanda and I am going to be a Junior this year majoring in CS on the business track. I first learned about computer science in high school, but my first real experience with coding came in college. I really enjoy helping others discover their passion for CS which is why I am CSCI 101 TA and participate in CS on Tour to help recruit more underrepresented students into CS. Within CS I am interested in cloud computing and cybersecurity. I am also involved in SASE, SWE, and Blue Key on campus. Outside of school, I enjoy painting and traveling. I love being part of the PATHS community and am excited for another great year!
Amia Castro
Hello! My name is Amia Castro and I am currently a sophomore studying computer science. I have yet to choose an emphasis but am leading towards either the general track or the robotics and intelligent systems track. I am passionate about learning/ trying new things and hope that this will lead me to narrow down what track is perfect for me. I am looking forward to another year of being a part of paths and grateful for the community and opportunities it has provided me.
Andrew Darling
Hello, my name is Andrew and I’m a Junior at Mines. My goal is to spread statistical insights into the biggest problems facing our world. I am very driven and am most passionate about researching problems within the realms of: mental health, global challenges (as defined by the United Nations), and societal distribution of resources. I view writing code as the most valuable craft in the digital age and believe that careful analysis of data can accurately predict (then change) the future.
Ben Breisch
Hi, my name is Ben Breisch and I am a freshman at Mines majoring in Computer Science with a focus in Computer Engineering. I was born and raised in Colorado Springs so I am super excited to stay in state for college. I have been a cybersecurity intern at a federally funded research and development center for three summers, working on everything from penetration testing to artificial intelligence to digital signal processing. I am really looking forward to being a part of the PATHS program at Mines!
Boden Lanham
My name is Boden Lanham and I am a Colorado native and a Sophomore at Colorado School of Mines pursuing my major in Computer Science. I have always been interested in STEM and am looking forward to learning even more about the world of Computer science and getting to know more amazing people that are a part of it.
Christian Prather
Hello, my name is Christian Prather, and I recently transferred to School of Mines from Red Rocks Community College Spring of 2019. I am a Colorado native and grew up not more than 15 minutes from Mines. During whatever free time I may have I enjoy working on robotics projects or long-boarding, if the weather is cooperative. Last year I founded a company to produce educational electronics kits to students for cheap while still maintaining a high level of functionality. I hope to graduate and really pursue growing my company. I decided on CS, because I believe it allows me the best opportunity to develop skill sets that I may use to impact the lives of many. I chose Mines because it has an amazing Computer Science department and the community in the department is incredibly supportive.
Cindy Rodriguez Ornales
My name is Cindy Rodriguez Ornelas, and I am a Junior at Colorado School of Mines planning on majoring in Computer Science. I was born and raised in Colorado and have loved everything about it. I decided to come to Mines because pursuing a career in the STEM field feels incredibly empowering, and, in doing so, I hope to inspire my sisters and others – showing that, even if there are obstacles in the STEM field, those can be overcome with passion and determination. I hope that through computer science I will be able to help others and give back to my community.
Cloe Emnett
Hello! My name is Cloe and I am an incoming freshman at Mines. I first became interested in computer science after joining my high school's robotics club, and I am excited to continue to pursue this passion at Mines. Being a Colorado native, I adore hiking, camping, and generally exploring the great outdoors! I also love tennis and I spend too much time with my head in a book. I’m excited about all the opportunities PATHS and Colorado School of Mines have to offer!
Collette Haberland
My name is Collette Haberland, and I am going into my third year at Mines (Class of 2022). I have enjoyed my past two year at Mines, especially within the computer science department. Everyone is such diligent workers, that I am inspired everyday to push myself more and more. I especially love the faculty within the CS department! I cannot wait to take more computer science classes and more data science classes for my focus. Some of my hobbies include traveling, shopping, cooking, and fashion! I also am involved with Greek life on campus; I am in Alpha Phi. I am the Vice President of Marketing for my chapter, and I am also the Intramural and Club Sports Marketing Executive! I love to keep busy and cannot wait to see what this year has in store!
Damian Zhou
Hello, my name Is Damian Zhou and I will be an incoming freshman this year. I have lived in Colorado for my whole life and am the eldest of 5 other siblings. When I am not wasting my life away reading too many sci-fi books, you can find me absorbed in my laptop learning new(and sometimes useless) things. I have always enjoyed sharing my love for learning with others, be it my siblings, other students, or parents so being able to continue this as part of the PATHS program is something that I really look forward to.
David Ochoumare
Hello, my name is David Ochoumare and I'm an incoming freshman in Computer Science at the Colorado School of Mines. I was born in Benin and I came to the United States at age 3. One thing that I hope to gain is the knowledge and experience that I will have here. I love anything that has to do with sports and I am very active. I hope to enjoy all there is to have at Mines.
Dylan Cormican
Hello! My name is Dylan Cormican, and I am a freshman at Mines, currently majoring in Computer Science. As a Middle Park High School graduate, I have lived in the mountains my whole life, and I enjoy every minute of it, so I am happy to be attending CSM. Beyond school and computers, I am a fan of tabletop gaming, backpacking, and simply enjoying the outdoors.
Eugin Pahk
Hi! My name is Eugin Pahk, and this is my first year at Mines. I am studying CS and plan to do the general track and the combined BS/MS program. I was involved in CyberPatriot throughout high school and am excited to join the ACM and OreSec clubs. I worked as a junior software developer for a startup in Colorado Springs in high school and really enjoyed it, so I am pursuing a career in software engineering.
Gabriella Romero
Gideon Kukoyi
Hello, my name is Gideon Kukoyi and I am an incoming freshman this year. I was born in Nigeria and moved to the States when I was four months old. I will be majoring in computer science with a focus on cybersecurity. I wish to combine my God-given talents with technology to help my community stay safe from the cyber threats of the future.
Haley Vinton
Hello! My name is Haley Vinton and I am a transfer student from Front Range Community College, and started at Mines in Fall of 2019. I am an Applied and Computational Mathematics major and will be minoring in Computer Science, specifically data science. I also do research on campus that is heavily based in coding, specifically in MATLAB. I am a Colorado Native, and in my free time, I enjoy playing board games, video games, and really enjoy memorizing Taylor series as well as different programming algorithms. I also enjoy hiking and trail running. I look forward to another year of being a PATHS mentor, where I plan to continue inspiring, motivating, and mentoring others with Computer Science; a field that is truly as fulfilling as it is challenging.
Ibrohim Nosirov
Hi! My name is Ibrohim Nosirov. I’m an incoming freshman majoring in Computer Science and am excited to be a part of PATHS this year. Outside of school, I enjoy peacefully passing the time, whether that’s reading, listening to music, working out, or trying to follow clever proofs. I also like playing with things that look cool on scikit- learn.
Ivan Santos
Hello there! My name is Ivan Santos, and I will be going into my Junior year studying Computer Science here at Mines. I was originally born in Aguascalientes, Mexico, but grew up in Denver up to the present day. Ever since I was little, I have grown a passion for soccer, and it is a sport I cannot live without. Aside from soccer, I have grown interests in playing the guitar, free-drawing, reading non-fiction books, and learning new technical skills.
I have also developed a special relationship with numbers throughout my academic experience. I came to realize my favorite application for numbers, logic, and math was computer science. I was raised and taught by my parents to always work my guts out because it would pay off eventually. I plan to keep this ambitious inertia going, so that I am able to overcome obstacles and achieve my goals. PATHS is an extra right hand that will help me throughout my career, and I look forward to another year with this amazing program!
Jessica Gregory
Hi, my name is Jessica Gregory. I am a Colorado native and lived in the small town of Kremmling my entire life. I graduated from West Grand High School and am extremely excited to come to Colorado School of Mines this year as a freshman. Computer Science has always been a passion of mine, especially when it comes to robotics, which I was a part of FIRST robotics for seven years. I can’t wait to see what happens in my schooling and with PATHS.
Jon Serrano
Hey! I’m Jon Serrano! I’m a senior in Computer Science from Denver. Mines so far have been super great! Everyone was wonderful and I’m excited for this upcoming year. I’m super into video games, math, and photography.
Jordan Tehranchi
There is something about a river that lets it stay in motion for minutes, days, weeks, and years. Yet, even when the route is not always clear due to impedances and interferences, a river always finds a way through: it finds a path. As an incoming freshman, I believe that PATHS is not only a verbal definition for a certain program but rather a community and inherent guideline for learning the whims and ways of technology. If I were to define PATHS under a single word, I would express it as "inspiration." Without having yet stepped foot into the shoes of a PATHS member, I still can sense the program's welcoming and very motivated Computer Science and Community Outreach prospect. My name is Jordan T, and I really look forward to meeting with all to share the memories that will come. Thanks!
Kieran Lewis
Hello! My name is Kieran Lewis, a Comp Sci sophomore. I was born in England but have lived here in Colorado since elementary school. I came to computer science originally to make video games, but now I plan to use those skills to make our world a better place in the future. For the past three years, I have been participating in a summer internship at the Space arm of Lockheed Martin, helping to develop Virtual Reality experiences. In my free time, I like to work on programming side-projects, play games, and learn foreign languages. With PATHS, I aim to help my fellow students reach their full potential and to join me in saving the world.
Levi Ortega
Hey my name is Levi Ortega and I’m an incoming freshman CS major. I’ve always been really into Computers, video games, and just tech in general. A few years back I decided to teach myself how to program. I say that I taught myself programming very loosely as most of my learning came from the wonderful teachers and mentors I had around to help guide me through some tough spots. It’s this very environment that drew me towards both Mines and the PATHS program in the first place. Outside of school I love to spend time with my 6 younger siblings and improve my overall strength through powerlifting and BJJ. I’m really excited to get involved with CS@Mines and get to know all of my peers!
Luke Beukelman
Hello, my name is Luke Beukelman, and I am entering as a freshman at Mines. I am originally from Iowa, and have been in Colorado since December 2017. A lot of my life and interests revolve around technology, and I enjoy using technology to solve problems, and enjoy creating systems in general to make things work better. I do a fair amount of coding, and have done a lot of dabbling around Node.js and python, as well as a bit in rust and java. I am also a devout follower of Linux, which I have used exclusively for over a year. Other than what I do with tech, I often spend nights debating myself over obscure ethical and theological concepts.
Lulia Dizghinjili
Maddie Spencer
Hi, my name is Maddie Spencer and I am a Sophomore at Mines this year. I am majoring in Computer Science with a Robotics and Intelligent Systems track. I was born in Chicago, but I moved to Castle Rock, Colorado when I was around 4, so it feels like I have lived in Colorado for my whole life. I am a major movie buff and I love to read, but I also enjoy volleyball and several water sports.
Malcolm La Force
Hello there! I’m Malcolm, and I'm continuing my Mines academic career with my sophomore year. Computer science has proven itself to be a challenging yet rewarding major thus far, and I’m looking forward to continuing it and growing my skills alongside my fellow PATHS scholars. When I’m not occupied with schoolwork, I enjoy working on audio/visual remasters, hiking, running, and playing the guitar.
Mark Holladay
Hi, my name is Mark Holladay, and I am from Pagosa Springs, Colorado. I plan to major in Computer Science and minor in Music at Colorado School of Mines. I enjoy playing the piano and playing video games.
Michelle Torres
Hey there! My name is Michelle and I’m an incoming freshman at Colorado School of Mines studying Computer Science. I am Mexican-American, born and raised in Aurora, Colorado! I love to stay active and read books. My favorite sport is basketball and my favorite book is One Hundred Years of Solitude I love the mountains and I love the snow. I’m so excited to be a part of the PATHS program and I hope to reach out to young girls about CS!
Nicholas Estoll
Hi, my name is Nicholas Estoll and I am a freshman at Mines who is studying Computer science. I have loved working with computers since I was 10 years old and taught my self how to code from an old python book I found lying around the classroom. I am excited to attend Colorado School of Mines and learn all that I can about computers and software development.
Peter Gultom
Hello! I’m Peter and I’m a freshman trying to major in Computer Science. I started taking coding classes in high school and found a liking for it. I’m really into computers, software, and technology, so I’m really excited to partake in the further studying of these things at Mines. With this education and involvement in PATHS, I hope to become a reliable Software Engineer or Developer. On the side I like learning history and video games.
Porter Fredrickson
Quintin White
Hi! My name is Quintin. I was born an raised in Colorado. I am a freshman at Mines. I enjoy Ultimate Frisbee and hiking 14ers. I am left handed but I ski righty. Baseball is my favorite sport and if I were a flag I'd be the flag of Portugal.
Randi Higashi
Hello! My name is Randi Higashi and I am a sophomore studying Computer Science with a focus on Robotics and AI Systems. I enjoy running track for Mines and doing outreach for CS on Tour. Ever since I took my first programming class in high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a degree in Computer Science. Seeing my products come to life with a few lines of writing was captivating! My goal is to inspire and help others learn about the world of Computer Science. PATHS is a great opportunity for mentorship, meeting new people, and providing the support to follow your passions. I am grateful to be apart of this wonderful program!
Shania
Hello! My name is Shania Jo RunningRabbit. I'm currently a senior at Mines and a CS major, on the general CS track. I'm sort of all over the place with my CS interests, although, I'm really starting to like front-end development and UI/UX design. My first couple of years at Mines have been awesome and have given me such cool opportunities to become more and more integrated in the CS community. Outside of school, I absolutely love watching Ghost Adventures and anything related to the paranormal (I think I just enjoy the adrenaline kick of being spooked). I also love playing games like Animal Crossing, Stardew Valley, or anything along those lines.
Sophia Hammes
Hi! My name is Sophia Hammes and I am an incoming freshman at Colorado School of Mines. I have always had a deep interest in all things STEM, and am excited to have the opportunity to major in computer science here at Mines. Some of my hobbies include reading, hiking, gardening, and astronomy. I can’t wait to start getting involved in the Mines community, and hope to foster others’ curiosity about computer science and STEM topics in general through the PATHS program!
Teodoro Martinez
My name is Teodoro “TJ” Martinez, and I’m a sophomore at the Colorado School of Mines. I come from Denver, and I plan on declaring Computer Science as my major. I’ve had a long history with video games and other digital media, and I hope to use my education with those or other tools to have a positive impact on the world. Especially after dealing with Covid, the world could use more positivity, and I firmly believe that computers and related electronics have the power to do good things.
Tyler Johnson
Three things that I feel passionately about are sports, outdoors, and global warming/climate change. I am passionate about sports because I grew up my whole life around them and they are a good way to get my mind off of other things. I am passionate about the outdoors because I love nature, I enjoy going for hikes, camping, white water rafting, or anything outdoors. I am passionate about global warming because it is a very serious topic that I feel like we as a society need to get under control fast before it destroys our planet.
My morals come from the people I am around often such as my family and friends but also the experiences I've had growing up. My parents have raised me very well and taught me important morals and ethics that are needed in society. Also, my experiences with other people have influenced my morals in society.
My morals have influenced my work as an engineer because I always want to solve things and look at the bigger picture of everyone who is affected. Its important for me too look at the bigger picture and see how it will affect everyone involved because I want to make sure everyone is benefitted positively.
PATHS Recent Alumni
Adrian Grey Estrada
Hello! My name is Adrian Grey Estrada. I was born in Michigan, but I moved to Colorado in the first grade and it has been a wonderful home ever since. Being able to snowboard every winter has been a great highlight of living here. I am often keeping myself busy with my studies, playing whatever video game piques my interest, or listening to music. I enjoy spending time with my friends and the memories that come with it. I enjoy Mines for the sense of community I've gotten, as well as the challenging, but highly enjoyable classes. I look forward to contributing to PATHS and the field of Computer Science this upcoming year!
Amira Ramirez Gonzalez
Hi, my name is Amira Ramirez Gonzalez. I was born in Chile and moved to Lakewood, Colorado, when I was 9 years-old. In my free time I enjoy experimenting with all sorts of art mediums, from drawing to photography to face painting, as well as video games, soccer, archery, and more. Despite having a variety of different interests I decided to study Computer Science because of how applicable the field is. I wish to apply technology in areas which lack or could benefit from it, for instance, mental health. I want to not only watch as innovative solutions are developed but hopefully create those developments myself while encouraging others to do the same.
Bethel Tessema
My name is Bethel Tessema and I graduated in May 2019 with a Computer Science degree from Colorado School of Mines. I was born in Las Vegas, spent most of my life living in Aurora, Colorado, and graduated from Smoky Hill High School in 2015. I decided to come to Mines to study Computer Science because I know how important computers are becoming in the world around us, and I want to be a part of the ground-breaking discoveries we can continue to unravel through programming. In my free time I like to read, travel, laugh and share good times with the people I love the most. I am passionate about my education and making my family proud. I am also very passionate about community outreach, especially in STEM. I think it is extremely important to get underrepresented groups more involved in STEM, and PATHS provides a great opportunity to do that. This program allowed me to be a leader on my campus. The PATHS program provided me the opportunity to be a mentor to future PATHS scholars and show them how to be leaders as well. After a summer returning to my country of origin, Ethiopia, I look forward to embarking on my career with Workday in Boulder, CO.
Dylan Norris
My name is Dylan Norris, class of 2021, majored in Computer Science on the Computer Science and Data Science track. I am getting more involved on campus including the Acts of Random Kindness club and resident advising. So far I have had a great time here at the Colorado School of Mines and plan to continue to have a great time. If I am not around to be seen I am probably either studying or playing some video game in my room with my close friends and family. Through PATHS, I look forward to introducing future students to the vibrant CS@Mines community.
Jacob Erickson
Hey, I am Jake Erickson. I graduated in Dec. 2018 with a BS in Computer Science and now enjoy my work as a software engineer at Tyler Technologies in Golden, CO. I have lived in Colorado all of my life and have loved it. Between hiking, skiing, water sports, running trails, or whatever else, Colorado is quite incredible. I also really enjoy gaming, running, traveling, and cooking.
To be completely honest I was not really sure that I wanted to study computer science initially. However, a friend really encouraged me to give a programming class a try. I have never looked back since. I have and continue to use my position with PATHS to encourage and mentor other prospective Mines students. I returned to Mines to visit with incoming scholars at the PATHS Spring Reception in April 2019.
Kyle Moran
Hey, my name is Kyle Moran. I’m a Colorado born native and couldn't bear to leave. I love hiking, camping and ultimate frisbee. I run Cross Country and Track and Field and love the team.
I’ve always liked computers and fell in love with programming after taking a class in high school. I came to Mines because of their great STEM programs and have no regrets. I’m excited to help the next generation of PATHS Scholars and bolster the future Mines Computer Science program.
Orden Aitchedji
I completed both my undergraduate and graduate degrees from Mines in December 2018 and 2019 respectively. Prior to Mines, I attended Red Rocks Community College where I completed My associates of Science with an emphasis on Cyber Security. While at Mines, I had the chance to meet great individuals with whom I was able to learn and grow alongside. Within PATH'S I connected with awesome new comrades, had the opportunity to be a role model as well as participate in really fun activities. Through it all, Mines has become one of my favorite places. I was given the opportunity to give back to Mines by teaching the CSCI 101/102 course and I'm enjoying it very much.
Quinn Tenorio
My name is Quinn Tenorio. I graduated in May 2019 with a major in Computer Science and a minor in Applied Mathematics at School of Mines. I am a Colorado native, being born in Denver and raised in Wheat Ride where I graduated high school at Wheat Ridge High School. During my time at Mines, I was heavily involved on campus working with the Admissions office and with Undergraduate Student Government as Student Body President and a Community Senator. Plus, I contributed to other clubs and organizations like the Maker Society and Rotaract Club, with a small semester-long stint playing intramural table tennis. I enjoyed my years as a PATHS pilot scholar, and I enjoyed Mines (probably more than anyone) because of the community and small college feel -- hope that others have a chance to experience it too.
Now that I have graduated from Mines, I am excited to begin my software development position with Woodridge Software in Golden, CO. Also, in my time at Mines, I have become interested in political science and want to find a way to tie that into my professional pursuits. In addition, I am passionate about kids and education as they have played large roles in my life, so I would like to use my degree to return to those areas as well.
Stephen Thoemmes
Hello (: I am Stephen Thoemmes, and I will be entering my second year studying Computer Science at Mines; I am especially interested in Data Science. Beyond programming and computer science endeavours, I ballroom dance and brew my own kombucha recreationally. I love to learn new languages—inside and outside of programming—and I look forward to snowboarding every winter. I want to bring about some positive change in the world. I am immensely grateful to have become a part of the PATHS program, and am excited to see where it can take us!
