WIN Graduates

“Six years ago I found myself living on the street. Four years ago I found a job paying minimum wage. But those things are not what define me. I see myself as an intelligent young man with a thirst for learning and an even greater hunger for helping others. Now that the WIN program has given me a chance to realize my potential, I cannot wait to join EY and show them what I can do.”

Bryant Allen, EY

“I was born with a father who is suffering from post-war P.T.S.D. and a mother living in extreme poverty. Now that this program has enabled me to finally get a firm grip over controlling where my life goes, I can feel confident in my ability to provide for my growing family.”

Ronnie Stevenson, BAC

“Despite earning my degree from the Wharton School of Business, the last decade has been mired with various jobs and experiences far from any semblance of a meaningful career. Now, thanks to Carolina Fintech, once shattered dreams are in reach and I will be able to more positively influence my family, community, and generations to come.”

Prentice Bess, Wells Fargo

“While I've always possessed the ambition and the fundamental talent to reach extraordinary heights, I struggled to maintain faith in myself as circumstances threw me far from my imagined path. I'm now fighting to rebuild the hope that once drove me, and I'm determined to seize this opportunity to learn from brilliant people in an ever-evolving field, to master a new skill, and, ultimately, to provide lasting security to my family.”

Torie Dominguez, BAC

“Despite obtaining a master’s degree, no amount of education, experience gained, or time worked has helped me secure a full-time opportunity that provides a suitable quality of life for my children. Becoming a developer will not only help me with my career and professional development but it will allow me to grow by learning something new everyday.”

Tiquila McNeill, EY

“My brother and I were raised by a single mom who was on welfare and received food stamp assistance. It was always hard to visualize the big picture--a better life. I spent the first nine years of my career in the Army and was deployed twice to Iraq as a combat medic only to find it hard to find meaningful work once I returned to civilian life. Thanks to the WIN program, I now have the chance to provide my three little girls and wife the life my mother always envisioned my brother and me to have.”

Michael Withers

“I moved to the United States fourteen years ago without knowing a single word of English and with very few options available to me. Becoming a US Citizen and participant in the WIN program has proven to me that anything is possible, and that I can make a difference in the world by following my passion and helping others along the way.”

Pavlo Ptushkin, BAC

“Despite having a bachelors degree and ten years of experience working in nonprofits, I lacked the technical expertise and relevant work experience that corporations look for in candidates. The WIN program has given me an opportunity not only to learn the technical skills necessary to perform a job and succeed in a business, but the resources to help more people in my community going forward.”

Kyle Walton, BAC

“After dropping out of the UNCC engineering program due to financial and philosophical reasons, I felt like my options were limited. I was stuck working two dead-end jobs just to make ends meet and I began to doubt that I would ever reach my full potential. The WIN program has placed me on a bright path and provided me with the resources I need in order to maneuver within corporate America, provide for my family, and continue to be a positive role model in my community.”

Jonathan Williams, BAC

“I am a mother, daughter and sister who has relocated from Chicago in search of a better quality of life. While a few things may have altered my course in life-- teenaged pregnancy and community violence--I recognize that I am a victor rather than a victim. It is my goal to ultimately thrive in my career so I can pay it forward and allow other underutilized talent to have this profound opportunity to realize their full potential in a field they may not have had access to pursue otherwise.”

Candace Beverly, BAC

“I am a first generation immigrant from India. Unfortunately, my bachelors degree from India does not carry the same weight in America so finding a meaningful career has been difficult. The WIN program has provided me not only with the technical and soft skills required to thrive in the workforce, but the resources to provide a better future for myself and my loved ones.”

Deepti Chitte, BAC

“For the past several years, I have been working jobs I was overqualified for. Having gained the technical skills necessary to lead me into a successful, long-term career, I will have the opportunity to work alongside and influence other great innovators as advances in technology become increasingly integrated into the daily lives of consumers and our community.”

Taylor Fromm, Ally

“I recently migrated from Ethiopia with my wife and two precious daughters hoping for a better life in America, yet I have struggled to find meaningful work despite having a bachelors of science degree. Thanks to Bank of America, I have finally found the job of my dreams and will be able to provide a better life for my family.”

Paulos Teclehaymanot, BAC

“With my previous employer it felt like no matter how hard I tried I was stuck going nowhere. The WIN program has offered me hope that the effort I put in will produce meaningful contributions towards a pathway I can be proud of. ”

Fah Pariyavuth, Wells Fargo

“Having been unable to make it through college, I could not get a job in technology despite having all the desired technical qualifications. I now have the opportunity to find my direction in life and enter the field I've been interested in since I was young.”

Edward Galloway, BAC

“I was previously employed at what would be described as a dead-end job with no room to advance my career. With the opportunities provided by the WIN program, I will be able to move into the expanding financial technology industry with the skills necessary to be successful in the workplace and the resources to achieve a greater sense of financial security.”

Pravin Prasad, EY

“After having to drop out of college, I worked for four years at a job that felt stagnant, unfulfilling, and as though I had not reached my ceiling. Having discovered the WIN program, I am now striving for success through hard work and dedication in the hopes of reaching my dreams as I pursue my passion as a programmer.”

Bruice Jonson, BB&T

“The WIN program has given me guidance and belief that I have a bright future ahead of me, which is something I have never felt before. It has provided me the necessary skills to progress through a successful and fulfilling career, but more importantly it helped me gain the confidence to truly believe I can make an impact on the world.”

Chad Antonides, BAC

“After five years of working in retail, I felt that I did not have a clear path to enter the corporate world. The WIN program has given me motivation to take on a completely new field and has pushed me to create a better future for myself.”

Maurice Hunter, BAC

“After completing my bachelor's degree, I chose to get married and start a family rather than pursue my career. Now that the WIN program has provided me a pathway into the industry I have always wanted to work, I look forward to advancing my career, providing my family with financial security, and becoming a role model who my daughter can look up to.”

Vineela Jallepalli, BAC

“After taking a meandering path through my career thus far, the WIN program has opened doors for me into an industry that I once thought had an impenetrable barrier of entry. It has given my life and career a new direction towards something that really amplifies my personal skill set, while also becoming a real passion.”

Jon Osterhout, Ally

“Even with a four year degree from a good university, I've had a hard time starting my career. When I went back to school to retrain, my depression and anxiety issues hindered me to the point that I wondered whether I could ever successfully pursue my goals and aspirations. The WIN program has not only given me an opportunity to pursue a field I am very passionate about, but has also provided me with the support to work on myself. I know I can move forward from here and be successful.”

Michael Cioce, BAC

“Despite holding a Masters in Applied Mathematics, employers have continuously decided not to hire me due to my lack of experience. Being exposed to a program that provides both real hands-on training and work experience, I can now build my future with confidence to become a successful leader and role model for my daughters.”

Sujanitha Mahalingam, BAC

“Due to my DACA status, I was not able to pursue higher education and achieve my dreams of acquiring a truly fulfilling career. With the technical skills that I have gained through WIN, I am confident I will succeed as a programmer at Bank of America and have a prosperous career in FinTech!”

Hugo Garcia, BAC

“I left a troubling situation and found myself underemployed with very little opportunity for growth. The WIN program has provided me with the skills I need to confidently embrace a new career path that offers a future with endless opportunities for personal and professional growth.”

Ashley Newkirk, Bank of America

“Despite having a masters degree in finance, my last fifteen years as a stay-athome- mom have made re-entering the workforce difficult. The WIN program has been a catalyst in improving my life and helping me reach my goals to provide a better future for my family.”

Vandana Chopra, BAC

“Growing up financially unstable forced me to be adaptive and resourceful in order to survive. I am hungry and eager to use the lessons learned from these struggles to provide a better life for the future of my family.”

Tou Yang, BAC

“I have always had an interest in programming but never had a clear path due to dropping out of college and attending several dead end boot-camps. The WIN program has opened countless doors for me that I had previously thought were inaccessible to somebody in my position and has provided me with the skills necessary to succeed in my programming career.”

Landon Burnier, BAC

“Growing up as a lower-middle class Mexican-American in Chicago, I had to constantly straddle the line between ‘making it out’ and ‘not forgetting where I came from’. Thanks to the WIN program, I will be able to serve as a role model for the people in my community and help show them that technology is a field where diversity is valued and welcomed.”

Benjamin Garcia, Ally

“I have always been interested in STEM but have missed out on opportunities to further my career in those fields due to dealing with previously undiagnosed depression and ADHD. The WIN program has given me new optimism about my outlook in those fields when I had been close to giving up on those goals and dreams, and now I am on a path to go above and beyond what I ever thought I could achieve.”

Evan Moore, BAC

“I came to the WIN program hoping to re-establish myself in the IT field in which I held previous positions years earlier. Not only will I bring a wealth of experience to my new team but I believe my diverse background may also broaden my team’s perspective as well, and that will allow us to introduce a more inclusionary set of tools to the marketplace.”

GQ Lewis, Wells Fargo