Zui Dighe has the type of resume that makes you question what you’ve been doing with your life. It’s only her third undergraduate year at Duke University, and she has already worked with numerous startups, helped create an open source medical device that won an international award, and succeeded in multiple internships with companies large and small.
Now she can add winner of the Women in Open Source Academic Award[1], sponsored by Red Hat, to her list of achievements. These accomplishments are impressive and deserving of every accolade, but Zui will be the first to tell you that with the right mindset, anyone is capable of achieving their goals.
“It might seem like ‘Ok, I’m getting this award, so I must know so much or be the most amazing person ever.’ Maybe I am? Just kidding. But really, anyone can contribute to open source. Anyone can learn how to code and find a space that suits their interests...I think that’s really powerful.”
In many ways, Zui is like most college students. She tries her best to wake up around 8:30 or 9 am, goes to class, spends time with friends, and watches Netflix. In fact, like many people, she struggled with the transition from high school to college. She found it difficult to stay engaged in class because many of her high-level introductory courses didn’t feel applicable to real life.
“I’ve always wanted to apply what I’m learning, and I don’t enjoy sitting in lectures without knowing the context behind it... when I don’t understand how concepts are being applied in the real world and how I can make an impact with what I’m doing.”
Rather than giving up or disengaging, she started exploring hands-on opportunities with startups as a way to