Ben Williams

It’s always been an uphill battle, but it’s an area that interests me a lot, so I stuck with it. I’m proud of that. I actually got into computer science through the arts. In high school I was a dancer and a video producer, and I used computers all the time to edit videos and songs. I was good at this but never understood howcomputers worked. I’m the type of person who likes to understand things full through. So I told myself, if I ever got the opportunity to study engineering or how computers work, I would. Coming to Stanford, I kind of held myself to that promise.

My favorite professor is Cynthia Bailey Lee. She’s my advisor. When I came in as a freshman, I didn’t know anything about computer science. I struggled with questions like ‘Did I start the race too late?’ I wasn’t exposed much to computer science before Stanford. I wondered, ‘Are there people in the department that I can relate to or go to for support? Am I good enough? Will I be able to succeed in industry after I graduate?’ Cynthia does a lot of work to educate herself and to advocate for students of color and to really inform herself of some of the issues that I and other students of color face. I have so much respect for her efforts. As I’ve learned to navigate being black in CS, Cynthia has supported me as I’ve shared honestly about my experience. Being able to be thoughtful, reflective and honest with her and others has been a great way for me to create deep connections and also to tap into or not tap into communities that could be of assistance to me.