Intern Spotlight

Katherine Hanses• Sophomore at Drake University • AI and Data Analytics Major  • Tech Mentor

Meet Katherine Hanses, one of our dedicated Tech Mentor Interns! Since joining the Pi515 team in October, Katherine has been an invaluable part of our Tech Mentorship Program at John Deere ISG, supporting our students during class with her expertise and enthusiasm. We’re thrilled to have her on board! Keep reading to discover why Katherine chose to join Pi515 and how her experience with our organization has positively impacted her journey.

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What lessons did you learn from High School?

I learned that it was ok to try new things. I joined as many sports teams and clubs as I could to get a feel for what I was passionate about. That led me to gaining my lifelong friends that I have today!

What do you wish you had done in High School before coming to college?

I wish I had developed better mindfulness and study skills!

Advice for students going into college?

Try new things, college campuses have such a wide variety of activities and it never hurts to try something new!

Why did you choose Pi515?

I’m super passionate about bringing STEm (especially programming) to young people who otherwise may have been too intimidated!

‍How has interning for Pi515 impacted your life?

Pi515 has such an amazing team that I really enjoy working with.

What have you learned from interning at Pi515?

How much truly goes into the backend of developing curriculum and creating lesson plans

‍What is your favorite coding language?

Python

If you could teach coding skills to anyone (even a famous figure), who would it be and what would you teach?

I think it would be fun to teach my mom some updated coding skills! She took a few classes in college (focusing on languages that are now dated), but she loves puzzles and problem solving!

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a beginner coder?

Use your resources! If you have a question odds are someone else has asked the same thing on a forum!

Who or what sparked your initial interest in coding?

Doing the “hour of code” program in elementary school!

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