Blog Posts by Westmont

Fascinated by technology and well-acquainted with adversity, Charles Ryu knows a thing or two about resilience. Born in North Korea, Charles escaped the country, not once, but twice. After his first attempt, Charles was placed in an internment camp, which he escaped again—eventually reaching the United States while still a minor. Despite not knowing English or having attended school since age 11, Charles graduated high school and eventually received a full scholarship to attend a coding bootcamp. 

Members of our CATLab team have a wide range of passions outside of their work with technology. In keeping with Westmont’s liberal arts tradition, CATLab prioritizes encouraging students to be well-rounded and providing space for reflection and art. Read on to hear from a CATLab student and staff member about how making music affects their lives.

By Zak Landrum; Adapted from 2022 CATLab Magazine

Know Your Why: Purpose First

During his post-doctoral work at the University of Pittsburgh, physics professor Ben Carlson mentored both under-graduate and graduate students. When they asked to work with him in the summer, he looked for suitable projects. “After two summers, I learned what was appropriate and helpful for students,” he says. “Two of my students at Pitt were offered ATLAS papers, which is significant because people in the collaboration — especially undergraduates — don’t necessarily get credit. My students did enough, so their names appear with the collaborators.

by Kelly Vivanco '24

Ryley Oroku, Westmont’s warm-spirited Business Process Analyst and API Programmer, embodies the CATLab core value of Commitment. Ryley has worked with Westmont’s technology for the last seven years. As a member of the first-ever CATLab and a 2020 Westmont alumnus, Ryley gained development operations skills which he uses today as he accomplishes vital data conversion for the college’s major student information system replacement project.