Yulduz Muradova
After transferring from a small community college in Iowa to Georgia State’s downtown campus, Turkmenistan native Yulduz Muradova dove headfirst into her love for computer science. In Atlanta, she’s found the resources she needs to help get her career off the ground. Below, she shares with us her story.
Interview by Jordan Ferguson
Your journey to Georgia State was more than 6,500 miles long. Tell us about it.
I’m originally from Turkmenistan, a small country in Central Asia. I came to the United States and started my education at a community college in Iowa. During my final semester, I was taking some electives, including computer programming, and I fell in love with it. When I was looking for schools to transfer to, I found Georgia State and saw they had a computer science program and a great career center, so I applied. I was already researching Atlanta, and I saw that a lot of tech companies were moving here. So, when I was accepted, I didn’t hesitate to come!
As a computer science major, how do you feel Georgia State is preparing you for a rewarding career?
When I started at Georgia State, I knew little about my field. My approach was to talk with the professors and ask them for advice. They helped and introduced me to certain clubs and organizations at and through GSU. Now I’m a part of Girls Who Code and the Association for Computing Machinery [ACM]. I also try to get involved in hackathons at GSU.
Not only has the Computer Science Department helped me, but also the [J. Mack] Robinson College of Business has really helped me with resume reviews. The Career Services Center also helped me with interview prep. They’ve had companies coming in weekly, so I talk to the recruiters and see if that’s the company or the industry I want to work in.
Your involvement with CodePath has opened doors to lots of opportunities. Tell us about it.
With CodePath, I was a part of their technical interview prep course in 2021. I was in the beginner section and knew nothing about coding. Later, I took a mobile development class that shifted my interest to mobile, and I graduated from that class with honors. I was invited to become a tech fellow and served as a teaching assistant for the program later on. The director of outreach for CodePath invited me for coffee when they were in Atlanta and shared that they were expanding to the city, with Georgia State being a target school. She invited me to speak on a panel in April for the real-person experience with the program.
Can you talk about your work with Girls Who Code?
Girls Who Code is one of my favorite clubs. I am on the executive board as the social event coordinator.
In the fall of 2023, I started attending various events and tours for Girls Who Code. I particularly enjoyed going on company tours and meeting professionals in my field. I secured an internship with NCR Corporation through one of the events but ended up taking an internship at Microsoft. I applied to become a board member of Girls Who Code and started organizing my workshop, “Lead Code Wednesdays,” to help people improve their technical skills for job preparation.
What’s your experience been like as an international student?
One of the reasons I chose Georgia State was its diversity. Before coming here, I was accepted to work as a student assistant in the university’s Office of International Initiatives. This made me feel like part of the international student group and I was excited to meet people from different countries. During my first semester, I attended events where I met students from all over the world. I also matched with a host family, and we’re still in touch.
Being part of the international student community at GSU has helped me feel welcomed and not alone. I attend events hosted by international student organizations, such as the Pakistani Student Association and the Indian Student Association. I also volunteer with the Office of International Initiatives.
You participated in our highly selective Panthers in the Valley program. What was that like?
I felt drawn to California because of Google and Microsoft. We visited BlackRock and Google and met alumni working there. It was motivating to hear their success stories because it made me realize I could do it, too. I received a lot of advice and made many new connections on LinkedIn. This experience was a massive support for me and helped me stay motivated when I was struggling to find an internship for that year. It was also a lot of fun. We visited the Golden Gate Bridge and took fun pictures with cool people. Even today, I still talk with some of them. They are super supportive.
What advice would you give to other international students coming to Georgia State?
Getting involved in college is essential. I remember not being very active initially, and it was challenging, especially with the language barrier. But I found that getting involved in exciting things made a big difference. For instance, I love learning languages and about different cultures, so I attended cultural events and joined clubs related to my major. I also found opportunities outside campus, such as volunteering, to improve my skills and gain experience.
