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After graduation, Rachel Piraino ’23, a Computer Science major with minors in Marketing and Mathematics, will take part in Fidelity Investment’s LEAP career development program and upon completion will work as a full-time mobile engineer for the company in Merrimack, N.H.   

Senior Design Project: “Most of the courses and lab experiences at �����ƽ�� are hands-on and project-based, which has prepared me for my future role at Fidelity. Starting in the fall, all Computer Science seniors work on senior design projects. My group worked on redesigning Roger Central for our client, (Construction Management Associate Professor) Anne Anderson. We had to keep her updated, send her documentation, and give her updates on the project. There’s a lot of organizing tasks and self-discipline involved. This collaboration is definitely applicable to the real-world. In my job, I’ll be working on projects and discussing with and reporting to higher-ups.”  

Combining Computer Science and Marketing: “I took four years of Computer Science in high school and have always been interested in STEM, but I also liked the idea of marketing myself and my work. Especially with Computer Science and applications you might be building or websites you might be working on, having a Marketing background is good to get people interested in your websites and projects. When I toured Roger, one of the Computer Science professors said that I could study both Computer Science and Marketing. I didn’t think that was possible until I talked to her.”  

Making Real-World Connections: “I interned for Fidelity in Boston last summer. That was my first corporate experience. I worked on an internal project and made a lot of connections. My first few weeks there I had no idea if I was doing a good job, but at the end, they had a wrap-up meeting and I heard great feedback. It was also during my internship that I learned about Fidelity’s LEAP program. I talked to my manager about it, and I got recommendations from him and my other managers.”  

Piraino, from Middleton, Mass., is a member of the Society of Women Engineers, the �����ƽ�� Dance Club, and treasurer for the Hawkettes Dance Team. 

Every spring, as Commencement nears, �����ƽ�� spotlights members of the graduating class. Suggestions are welcome. Email: stories@rwu.edu