Levi Costello graduated from APU in 2017 and has gone on to start a career in computer science. Today he works as a Full Stack Developer for Raft, a digital consulting firm. Costello sees his current role as a nice complement to what got him interested in computer science to begin with: robotics and IoT. These interests ultimately influenced Costello to declare Computer Science as his major at APU, and between the skills he’s learned and the experiences he’s had over the years, his major has certainly been a sturdy stepping stone. “I’m still in the beginning phase of my career,” said Costello, “and my hope is to be able to continue to grow in my experiences and broaden my scope of work. I want to one day get into a company like Boston Dynamics and develop interesting gadgets and tech that will creatively benefit the world.”
Costello feels confident about achieving his goals largely in part to his time at APU. “APU opened the door for me to understand how to problem solve in the real world,” noted Costello. “Computer science is heavily reliant on understanding this concept and being able to study and figure out how to solve a problem as well as put in the time and effort to grow in the subject is very important.” Costello’s work was so immersive that it became his most meaningful experience while at APU. “Learning how to use Arduinos and application of IoT with the help of Dr. Yeh helped me find an area of computer science that greatly interests me,” Costello reflected. “In my current role as a Full Stack Developer at Raft, the efforts of my team developing a new feature for our project was so successful that several of us were presented with a special T-shirt that has all the logos of the applications we worked on!”
Finding camaraderie with his team is also something that extended from Costello’s time at APU as it was here that Costello grew not just in his career, but socially. “APU has provided me with a good foundation of friends that I’m still in touch with today. Within this community I was able to grow socially and both receive and give support to those around me.” As much of Costello’s current work is done in teams, learning how to connect and grow with others at APU has proved both valuable and life changing.
Finally, the faith aspect of APU has also had a deep impact on Costello. Though he enjoys and is thriving in his current role, Costello doesn’t see it as being his calling. Still, he’s able to give it his all and glorify God with his passion and faith. “Attending a Christian college helped me understand more about my faith and the areas that I need to study and dive deeper into,” he said. “Having the space to grow in my faith and ask questions has helped me get to know God more throughout my walk.” With a deeper understanding of our Savior, Costello has learned to get the most out of an experience while still planning for what’s next. For Costello, computer science is a field with many avenues, and he’s excited to keep setting, achieving, and surpassing his goals.
