{"id":1194,"date":"2022-06-09T13:01:49","date_gmt":"2022-06-09T13:01:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/?p=1194"},"modified":"2022-06-09T13:01:49","modified_gmt":"2022-06-09T13:01:49","slug":"passion-for-coding-community-motivates-uvi-grad-to-move-mountains","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/passion-for-coding-community-motivates-uvi-grad-to-move-mountains\/","title":{"rendered":"Passion for Coding & Community Motivates UVI Grad to Move Mountains\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rex Cazaubon III, whose family hails from St. Lucia, always knew that technology and problem-solving would be a consistent theme in his life. He remembers being intrigued with and attracted to computers, video games and other devices as a youngster. \u201cEver since I was small, I had a knack for understanding computers and other technology. Growing up, my family would always come to me for help with anything that went wrong with the TV, cable, Wi-Fi or anything else,\u201d he recalled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Family is another thread that runs deeply through Cazaubon\u2019s story, and he credits the love and support he received throughout his educational career with giving him the encouragement and feedback he needed when times got tough. One particularly memorable example of this came after he failed the first two practice exams of a critical cybersecurity certification exam. His mother assured him he would pass with flying colors when the time came. Her words were prophetic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rex Cazaubon<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Highly motivated to make his family proud, Cazaubon studied the example of his older brother who experienced challenges as he successfully earned a college degree in the mainland United States, and then applied those lessons when his turn came. Having grown up in St. Croix until his family moved to the States, Cazaubon knew that the affordable tuition offered at the University of the Virgin Islands could help to make his higher education experience more manageable.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy brother was a really good example to me that our family’s history or experiences do not have to determine our future. I always told him that everything he went through would not be in vain, because I was watching him, taking notes, and I would do better. When it was time for me to go to college, I chose to come back to UVI and do my best, not just for me, but for my family,\u201d he said.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>Rex Cazaubon<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

At UVI, experiences such as leading a team of beginner coders to victory in the Google-sponsored 2022 USVI BreakBeatCode Hackathon, working with other students and placing second at the SANS 2021 HBCU CyberWars Team Tournament, and winning the \u201cMost Creative App\u201d competition during the 2019 UVI Hackathon, where teams addressed the theme of \u201cPower\u201d to identify and create a solution to fix frustrations related to power in the Virgin Islands community, all helped Cazaubon to hone his programming and problem-solving skills, particularly as he helped others apply what he was learning in the classroom.\u202f\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without my family, I would not be the successful and ambitious young man I have become. I attribute all of my success to you.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>Rex Cazaubon<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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As a result, his appreciation for and definition of family grew. Addressing the University\u2019s graduating class of 2022 as the Class Speaker at the Albert A. Sheen Campus in St. Croix, he noted: \u201cNow that word, family, extends farther than some might think. From my blood family, the ones who have been there since the very beginning, praying for me, seeing me push through the late nights and overcome seemingly impossible odds. To my family over at the RTPark, who served not only as a fantastic work environment but as my home away from home. Without my family, I would not be the successful and ambitious young man I have become. I attribute all of my success to you.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While observing the shrinking numbers of students who completed the rigorous Computer Science program at UVI, Cazaubon was motivated to start a student-run programming club, \u201cAttack on Tech,\u201d to provide support and for his fellow students, opportunities to participate in other competitions and build self-confidence. \u201cThe club is a great way for us to reach out to younger students in the community, teach them about great opportunities in STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics], help kids with their programming projects or homework, strengthen our small community of computer science students, and just have fun,\u201d he stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Cazabon receives diploma.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Currently working at UVI\u2019s Research and Technology Park (RTPark) in St. Croix, where he provides advice, support and troubleshooting on IT-related issues, in addition to his position at Vast International in St. Thomas, where he is a Software Developer Intern, Cazaubon has set his sights on remaining in the Virgin Islands. \u201cI know that some graduates leave the Territory, taking the talent away from home. I see myself staying here where I can contribute my talents and skills to help my community,\u201d said Cazaubon. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rex Cazaubon III, whose family hails from St. Lucia, always knew that technology and problem-solving would be a consistent theme in his life. He remembers being intrigued with and attracted to computers, video games and other devices as a youngster. \u201cEver since I was small, I had a knack for understanding computers and other technology. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1200,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,4],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1194"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1194\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1200"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.uvi.edu\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}