Meet a Tutor: Eric Dew

Meet a Tutor: Eric Dew

Eric Dew

Computer Programming Student at Southeast Technical Institute

Tell us a little about yourself…

I am currently a freshman studying Computer Programming at Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but I lived in eastern Iowa for almost 19 years.

When did you first start learning computer science?

During my junior year of high school I came across some coding tutorials and started learning just the basics of HTML/CSS. I found it pretty interesting, since anything programming related was completely new to me at this point. I went to a small high school and no computer related courses were offered, so I took AP Computer Science online. That class was really what kickstarted my interest in coding.

Do you have any favorite programs or projects that you’ve built?

Right now my college roommates and I are attempting to start a business that brings e-commerce to local businesses and then help them market themselves through social media. I work on the web front-end and social media marketing.

How would you like to use computer science and programming in the future?

Virtual reality is just scratching the surface of what’s possible. There is definitely going to be some drastic changes to the entertainment industry and I’m sure other fields, such as education and general lifestyle, will be affected by VR as well.

Fun facts about you?

I used to create and sell plugins for java-based video games.

Favorite ice cream flavor?

Anything with cookie dough!

Words of advice for the next generation of coders?

There’s a countless number of ways to apply yourself as coder. Find what overlaps between your skills, interests, and ways to help others, then go all in on that. Never stop learning and always bet on your strengths.