Meet Bold Idea Mentor Tyler
Meet Tyler Milner, Bold Idea mentor, pepper plant grower, and iOS architect. See how an early interest in tech and computer gaming led him to a career at Bottle Rocket.
What is something many people don't know about you?
I love spicy food. For several years, I've grown my own pepper plants. This year, I've overwintered 9 varieties of plants ranging from sweet bell peppers all the way to super hot ghost peppers and beyond.
How did you become interested in technology and programming?
From a young age, I've always been interested in technology and figuring out how things work. Computer gaming got me deep into the world of PC hardware and software, and then I took a programming course my sophomore year of high school. Going into it, I didn't think I would like programming, but after the first year, I took the class for the rest of my high school career so that I could practice my skills and compete in UIL competitions.
What did you study in college?
I started out studying Computer Engineering at UT Dallas, but switched to a Computer Science and Software Engineering double major about halfway through.
What are you working on now?
Today, I work as an iOS architect at Bottle Rocket where I develop iOS applications for our clients.
What have you gained from being a mentor? What was your most memorable moment while mentoring?
As a mentor, I've gained an appreciation for the people that facilitate the teaching of programming to others. Coding on its own can be a difficult concept to grasp, but coming up with a curriculum that teaches people to code is even more challenging! So far, my most memorable moment while mentoring has been when two students work well together and are able to reason through and solve a problem on their own.
Is there anything that you wish you could tell your younger self about coding?
Coding is all about learning from experience and trying new things. Make sure to set aside free time to build anything cool or interesting to you. Better yet, find a friend that's also interested in coding and make something together!
What is it about Bold Idea's mission that really connects with you?
I think the belief that all students deserve the opportunity to learn computer science connects with me the most. Coding is a great way to build problem solving skills, which will be a vital part of everyone's future.
