Outstanding Graduate, Fall 2020
Jeffrey Fallis
Jeffrey Fallis found his passion for software engineering while a student at Central Arizona Community College. He had always been interested in computers, so when he saw a Visual Basic programming course available in the registration guide, he signed up immediately.
“I still remember the sense of achievement I felt when I finished my first ‘Hello World’ program for that class,” Fallis says.
Since transferring to Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, Fallis says he has discovered the breadth of opportunities represented by software engineering.
“It can open doors in almost any industry. It ranges from building a website for your best friend to designing and implementing the systems used in autonomous vehicles,” he says. “Software engineering actually touches everyone’s lives. It affects how we communicate, how we work and how we entertain ourselves.”
Fallis says engineering has changed his own life for the better in that it allows him to exercise his creativity while surrounding himself with professionals from whom he can learn to be his best.
As an example, one of Fallis’ most memorable experiences was working on a commercial project as an intern for the company Brand New Ship.
“We were developing a website that allowed users to both buy and sell products,” he says. “It was the first time where my work directly affected how a client achieved their goals.”
After graduation, Fallis hopes to join a technology company in the Phoenix area. Further into his career, he says he would love to be part of a team designing and implementing bleeding-edge innovations, which involve a high degree of uncertainty.
“Improvements in technology happen so fast that there is no way to tell what might be possible in the next 20 years,” he says. “That’s exciting.”
Read about other exceptional graduates of the Fulton Schools’ fall 2020 class here.