Computer Science
Biography
My name is Kaylee Bae, and I am a computer science major in the 2026 cohort for the Heath Integrated Business and Engineering Program (Heath IBEP). One experience that has significantly shaped my personal growth is my past involvement in taekwondo. During my childhood, I was quiet and lacked confidence in myself. However, through kihaps (shouts commonly used in taekwondo techniques), breaking boards, and 8 years of practice, I developed more confidence in my ability to learn and excel.
This learning has shaped how I approach hard problems. For example, I learned that self-confidence is critical for achieving success. Self-confidence does not mean immediate success at everything I attempt. Just like in taekwondo, mastery in any field requires hard work and practice. Self-confidence, in my opinion, means that I have the ability to become competent at anything, given enough discipline and hard work. It means that I do not have to fear making mistakes but instead, can earnestly pursue learning.
I am highly passionate about this—not only for myself but for others as well. I love encouraging people and helping them believe in themselves by demonstrating the value they offer. This is one of the reasons why I want to work in a position that is not only software engineering, (which I deeply enjoy), but also allows me the flexibility to support others in a more managerial position. I want to be able to not only understand a product, but also to be in a position where I can help others succeed.
I joined Heath IBEP to gain experience in the integration of business and engineering, which I believe is invaluable for my future career. It will provide a strong foundation for a career in product management or as a technical lead. It will also help me understand organizational silos in companies and work with cross-functional teams to solve nested problems. In the future, I want to take my belief in hard work and discipline, as well as my learning from HIBEP, to solve real-world problems to improve lives.
