College – Issue 42

A former Informatics Olympiad contestant, Chris Jung (14582) has ‘programmed’ his way from Christ’s College to Stanford. Soon, he will be studying for his Master’s Degree in Computer Science at one of the most prestigious universities in the world. A member of Jacobs House, Chris, 23, attended Christ’s College from 2013–2017, establishing himself as one of the country’s leading young programmers. In 2016, he was selected for the New Zealand team for the 28th International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) in Kazan, Russia. Despite a few days in a Russian hospital with suspected pneumonia, Chris recalls “it was a life-changing experience meeting people at the IOI who were just as interested in computer science as I was”. A national schools programming champion in 2017, and 2021 graduate from renowned Atlanta- based Georgia Tech, Chris always thought about a future in the United States.

“I started programming in Year 6, and instantly felt a connection,” Chris says. “Since then, I think a part of me always wanted to go to the US. So, in 2017 without many expectations, I applied to a few universities. Then, just two days before a planned move north to the University of Auckland, I received an acceptance letter from a US university. A month later, I also got into Georgia Tech.” On arriving at the Atlanta-based university, Chris “discovered he loved how things were a bit different”, especially people’s enthusiasm for science and engineering. “The friends I made during our university orientation were amazing. It was thrilling to discuss all sorts of Computer Science topics together – it made Georgia Tech so much fun.” Chris completed his four-year Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in Computer Science, in just three-and-a-half years before his planned move to Stanford University in California to start his master’s degree this year.

He strongly believes there is “a wealth of opportunities in the US”. Chris plans to become a software engineer, and credits Christ’s College with providing support to achieve his goals. He also appreciates that both Head of Teaching and Learning – Physical Education and Science Dr Graeme Swanson, and former Head of English Chris Rayward were responsible for “sparking interest in subjects and encouraging excellence”.

“At College, I was given the opportunity to run my own programming group, which allowed me to share my knowledge and develop

leadership skills. With the holistic approach that universities now take in selecting students, I am certain that I would not have been admitted to Georgia Tech without the various opportunities the school provided.” As for the future, Chris is still weighing his options. In the meantime, he is an intern at Jane Street, a firm heavily focused on technology and problem-solving.

“With the holistic approach that universities now take in selecting students, I am certain that I would not have been admitted to Georgia Tech without the various opportunities the school provided.”

COLLEGE 2022

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