Jake Vigeant

Favorite spot on campus...

I love hitting the driving range at WaDuke and Wilson Gym to de-stress whenever I can.

Advice I would tell my first-year self...

Before you commit your time to anything, make sure to have a working calendar of all your responsibilities. This is helpful in avoiding conflicts and ensuring there is a manageable workload for each day. Also, ensure you budget the time for some personal growth/enjoyment activities each day outside of schoolwork.

Resources I love to use at Duke...

The Career Center people are super friendly and really have pointed me in the right academic directions for my long-term goals so far. The Co-Lab has been a powerhouse for working on my personal engineering projects as well.

My favorite class(es) at Duke...

I really enjoyed EGR101 and CS201 for the technical skills I learned. Would also highly recommend Econ 174 for both the humanities credit and introduction into how companies work!

Co-Curricular/Engagement Experiences...

I have been involved in computer science sidekicks so far, where I tutor middle school kids from Durham on computer science each week. Outside of that, I am pursuing a variety of personal engineering projects, including getting familiar with AI techniques and a startup company. I also have a job working in the OIT office.

How I like to spend my free time...

I love to do pretty much anything outside, but my favorites are golf and pick-up sports.

How I decided on my major...

I have always been curious about how computers can produce interactive applications and software, all while being built from simple wire and metal connections. Computer Engineering and computer science provide a look into what happens inside a computer to make the tools we use daily possible.