First BS in Computer Science Grad Finds Success at Microsoft

Erik Uri graduated high school in 2012 with a love of computers and offers to work in start-ups. But after a couple of years, he found his lack of a college degree was stopping him from getting the jobs that he really wanted.  

“The process of going to college was not very clear to me,” said Uri, who calls himself a first-generation college student.  

However, he also found “the myth that you can get ahead without a college degree” was proving to be untrue. The lack of a degree was becoming a barrier to the jobs that he really wanted. 

Today, Uri, 30, credits faculty in the Bellevue College’s computer science program, as well as support staff in its Neurodiversity Navigators (formerly known as the Autism Spectrum Navigators program), for helping him land the job of his dreams at Microsoft shortly after being one of the first students to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Bellevue College in 2018. 

At Microsoft, Uri has spent the last few years working with cutting edge technology and the software needed to support it, ranging from Microsoft’s HoloLens, a mixed reality (MR) device that allows the viewer to see digital images imposed on the real world, to Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI Services, which works with businesses to optimize the potential of artificial intelligence. Uri relishes solving the software challenges found in making these powerful technologies work reliably and quickly in a real-world environment. 

As part of a “geo-distributed team,” Uri works out of the Redmond campus, but also travels to other Microsoft offices to collaborate with others. He recently spent time in Boston as part of his work on Azure. 

When Uri entered Bellevue College to earn his associate degree, he thought he would have to switch to another university later to complete his bachelor’s. Then he heard the college was planning to launch its own BS in computer science. He became one of five students who were accepted into the first year of the program in 2017. 

“It was a lot of fun, and hard work,” he said. “That first class was small, so we got one-on-one time with faculty, and our experience helped inform the curriculum. I felt like I made the right choice. Bellevue College had a more professional atmosphere than where I’d studied before and the classes were at a higher level, but at the same time there was a lot of support, too. It was a great mix.”  

For his senior year, Uri worked as a teaching assistant in the Computer Science department. The job and scholarships provided by the Bellevue College Foundation allowed him to keep an ambitious class schedule and not have to work off campus. 

He’s particularly proud of the work on his team’s capstone project. The students developed an application that turned Alexa into a personal assistant so that a Bellevue College student could ask it for a class schedule, grades or even upcoming assignments. Bellevue College professor Fatma Serce, who was the Computer Science program chair at the time, helped Uri develop his project management skills. 

“Erik was one of my brightest, most talented, caring and dedicated students that it has been my pleasure to teach. He was always an active participant in the class and in the program. He is truly a standout individual who will impress everyone he meets,” Serce said. “I am so proud of Erik — he is achieving his dreams!” 

One of the support programs he engaged with was Neurodiversity Navigators, which offers individualized advocacy and access services as well as educational opportunities for autistic and other neurodiverse Bellevue College students. 

“[Neurodiversity Navigators] gave me useful strategies to problem-solve when I ran into a roadblock with a class or professor and helped me identify my strengths and weaknesses. That gave me confidence to participate in other activities, like the Speech and Debate Society. I eventually became its president and won awards in championship tournaments.” 

Admiration runs both ways. Sara Gardner, Neurodiversity Navigators program director, said, “One thing that stands out to me about Erik is his willingness to use the resources available to him. When he hits a barrier, as everyone does, Erik reaches out within his network to find support for his continued success. I believe this habit will continue to serve him well and take him far.” 

Gardner works with Microsoft to connect students with its Autism Hiring Program and helped Uri understand the opportunities it presented. Uri also credits William Mortl, an adjunct professor at Bellevue College and a Microsoft software engineer, with preparing him for the interview process that landed him his dream job. 

“I would highly recommend Bellevue College for anyone considering entering computer science. It was definitely the best investment I could have made for my future,” Uri said.