Like many parents, Monish Naidu’s mother and father had dreams of their son following in their footsteps—into health care. He did just that, earning a biochemistry degree at the University of Washington before enrolling in pharmacy school. But Naidu soon realized he needed to forge his own path, so he hung up the white lab coat his family was so proud of to pursue a newfound passion: computer science.

“A friend was teaching me Java, and I just saw so much growth in technology fields,” says Naidu. “After I explained my reasons for switching to computer science, my parents were happy for me. My mom actually suggested combining health care and CS.”

Naidu explored online programs and bootcamps, but then he learned about Northeastern University’s Align Master’s Program, which provides a direct path to a Master’s in Computer Science for non-computer science majors. Northeastern’s Seattle campus was a big selling point, as was the ability to tap into an established university with a strong network for co-op, internship, and job placements. He started Align full-time in January 2018.

Diverse experiences from day one

When Naidu walked into his first class, he thought the other students would have a lot of programming experience. Instead, he found a diversity of backgrounds—business, law, humanities—and classmates who were all new to computer science.

“I was worried that everyone would’ve been coding since they were 10 years old,” he recalls. “Instead, we’re all on the same playing field. There are 27 students in my cohort and we support each other. It really feels like a community.”

Naidu received a scholarship from the Khoury College of Computer Sciences, which completely covered his first semester, and he has one more semester of academic bridge courses in preparation for master’s-level coursework. Naidu will also participate in a co-op or internship at one of Northeastern’s many industry partners, and is on track to graduate in Spring 2020.

One opportunity led to another

While at UW, Naidu earned the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship (WSOS), which provides financial assistance to students from low- and middle-income households who are pursuing bachelor’s degrees in STEM and healthcare fields.

Born in Fiji, Naidu was the first in his family to attend college in America, and the scholarship made a difference by helping pay for tuition. Yet the real impact came from the WSOS program’s support and resources.

“The word ‘opportunity’ is really what the scholarship meant to me,” he says. “They supported and guided me. I attended networking events. And their partnerships in the computer science field helped a lot.”

In fact, it was Naidu’s main contact at WSOS who suggested the Align Master’s Program. Now he’s an Align ambassador, attending technology conferences and touting the program to people who are considering a switch to computer science.

Stories of success

While Naidu’s Align story is just beginning, the program has produced incredible results since launching in 2013. Align has a 93% student retention rate after the first semester, and the starting salary for recent graduates is more than $100,000. The program is also working to close the diversity gap found in high-tech fields: Align’s most recently enrolled class is 45 percent women and 15 percent underrepresented minorities.

Of course, the real impact of the Align Master’s Program is measured by the success of each student making the leap to computer science. Read more student stories like Naidu’s—and consider starting your own.