About Me | My Journey
Coding has become a sincere source of happiness for me. In essence, this is
why I had chosen to make a leap of faith and change career paths.
I had found that while I was successful in physical therapy, it just wasn't quite for me for unrelated
reasons.
It seemingly felt like there was also an itch I couldn't quite scratch. I yearned for growth and learning
after becoming a PTA, but the thought of
working towards a Doctorate of Physical Therapy was enervating--not because of the amount of work
required--but because my heart wasn't in it.
It was during this period of soul searching that I found inspiration to start a new hobby in mobile application development.
Ultimately, I encountered a problem that I wanted to solve utilizing Kotlin for my Galaxy phone.
I had no prior experience using Kotlin or any kind of programming language prior, but I was adament about
following through and completing my project idea.
Eventually, with a lot of time, and with a lot of determination, I did just that! My very simple 'random
team generating' application was finally functional.
And while my implementation was rather crude at the time--it was riddled with bugs--I had began to realize I
myself had a bug too.
I had discovered catharsis in problem solving, fulfillment in logical train of thought, and satisfaction in
objective and measurable results.
I started to reevaluate my skill set and felt more adept at the challenges presented in Tech. as opposed to
healthcare.
It feels as if the sky is the limit with programming--imagine what just one person is capable of with
knowledge, proficiency, and a novel idea.
Ultimately it is for these reasons that I strive to make programming my new profession. Without a vestige of
uncertainty, despite many of my seemingly dubious peers
regarding the current job market, I feel a strong sense of resolve, but also genuine happiness in my
Computer Science endeavors.
Prospective Software Engineer
I am actively looking for entry level roles where I can contribute to a team of like-minded yet diverse individuals in an impactful and meaningful way.
- Birthday: March 28th
- Pronouns: He/Him
- Phone: +410 227 8068
- City: Baltimore, USA
- Age: 30
- Degree: Computer Science Bachelor Degree
- Email: michael.r.rigali@gmail.com
- Freelance: Available
Passion, proficiency, and tenacity are, in my opinion, the most important qualities for any successful software engineer. It is my hope that showcasing some of my more recent personal projects below will help evidence that I embody all of the above. Instead of slowing down post graduation, I will only continue to accelerate, improve my quality of work, expand my skill set, and grow as a steadfast individual.
Skills
The following visual representation is an approximation of my skills relative to each other. And while I am proud of how far along my technical prowess has developed, it is objectively true that my charm, or suave for lack of better words, would be an asset to any team/company (I felt compelled to include sarcasm because I am struggling with justifying an arbitrary graph on my portfolio website).
Resume
A PDF version of my resume is available here for download.
Summary
Michael Rigali
Determined computer science student who is a team player, skilled in communication, expresses qualities of leadership, but is also capable of operating and growing independently. I hope to soon join a team that shares the same fervor I possess and to continue to grow my understanding of computers and algorithms.
- Baltimore, Maryland
- (410) 227-8068
- michael.r.rigali@gmail.com
Education
Computer Science Post Baccalaureate Degree
2022 - Present
Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
Relevant coursework completed thus far includes:
- Programming Language Fundamentals
- Software Engineering I + II
- Databases
- Operating Systems
- Web Development
- Data Structures
- Analysis of Algorithms
- Discrete Mathematics
- Computer Architecture and Assembly
- Machine Learning
- Artificial Intelligence
Extracurricular Activities
2022 - Present
- Oregon State University Hackathon
- Oregon State University Leadership Academy
- University of Maryland Study Abroad
- University of Maryland Competition Boxing & American Muay Thai Academy
- Loyola Greyhound Leadership
Professional Experience
Software Engineering Internship
Winter 2024 - Present
Gnarled Helix LLC, Boston, MA
- Contributed to the codebase of a web-based programming-focused educational video game written in TypeScript.
- Built out enemy behavior, animation sequences, UI, and in-game documentation.
- Honed skills in version control systems to manage and collaborate on project codebase.
- Translated complex technical concepts into user-friendly documentation and tutorials, enhancing educational outcomes.
- Worked with React, Redux, RTK, and a wide variety of other NPM packages in a modern Webpack build environment.
Associate Web Developer
Summer 2024 - Present
Code & Coffee, Baltimore, MD
- Developed and maintained responsive websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, focusing on user experience design and aesthetic quality.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure scalability and maintainability of web applications, utilizing version control systems such as GitHub.
- Enhanced user interfaces and optimized website performance to improve accessibility and usability across various devices and screen resolutions.
Achievements & Awards
Programming Fundamentals Microcredential
Via Oregon State University merited in April, 2023
Loyola University Army ROTC Accolades
Class Rank: 1/33, Army Academic Award, Greyhound Leadership Graduate
Dean's List and or Honor Roll
- Oregon State University
- Baltimore City Community College
- University of Maryland
Volunteer Work
- President's Volunteer Service Award
- Meritorious Award for Outstanding Community Service
References
The below-mentioned references would be happy to hear from you. They can verify my success in their respective fields and delineate professional relationships with myself.
"Michael has been helpful in Open Sourcerer's JavaScript documentation and has worked effectively with React. I look forward to seeing him continue to develop as a future SWE."
Robert Brownstein
Ceo & Founder of Gnarled Helix LLC
Contact Here
"Michael has sound clinical judgement, excellent communication skills, and was a valuable asset to our team while he worked at Saint Elizabeth Rehabilitation with Assisted Rehab."
Gabriele Marotta
Director of Rehab, OTR/L
Contact Here
"As a former student of Mike's, I can say he helped me improve my Academic Writing and Research skills significantly. His approach to tutoring was flexible and personable."
Paola Rivera Scherrer
Former Academic Writing/Research Student
Contact Here
Contact Me
Feel free to reach out regarding any inquiries about freelance work, potential entry level opportunities, possible collaboration, and so on.
Location:
Baltimore, Maryland
Email:
michael.r.rigali@gmail.com
Call:
+1 410 227 8068