Purdue University: ENTR Student Spotlight – Netra Pradhan
Meet Netra Pradhan, a sophomore in Computer Science, with minors in Mathematics and Biometrics, who is pursuing a Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Netra is from Bentonville, Arkansas, where in high school she was one of three girls in a programming class of 30 students. This experience led her to get involved with, and eventually lead, an organization, at her high school called Lil Miss Coder which introduced young girls to computer science. Passionate about the women in tech movement, Netra wanted to help minimize the gender gap in computer science by helping young girls feel more comfortable in an environment that is male-dominated.
Netra is also passionate about using her tech skills to help those in need. While in high school, she was Vice-President of a Heifer International chapter where she coordinated fundraising events for this non-profit which fights world hunger.
Her senior year, she created a mobile application that informed users what Heifer International is, how to get involved, and how to donate. This experience helped her realize she wanted to major in Computer Science in college. In her first year at Purdue, Netra took ENTR 20000, Introduction to Entrepreneurship and Innovation and realized quickly how the entrepreneurship program would complement her major.
“Through the Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program I am learning how computer science can seed entrepreneurship. The business-oriented skills taught in my ENTR classes complement the technical skills I am learning in my major and makes me a well-rounded student.”
Netra is currently enrolled in ENTR 31500 Business Planning for Social Entrepreneurship and ENTR 46000 an online Internship and Career Preparation Seminar. Next semester she plans to take an option course that coincides with her major and then complete the certificate with an approved capstone.
Participating in the ENTR Certificate program has opened up Netra’s world to experiential opportunities on and off campus. Last year she participated in a hackathon and this past summer she attended a three-week bootcamp hosted by TechPoint in Indianapolis where she learned front-end technology such as JavaScript and the React framework, while applying these applications on various projects.
Netra Pradhan is a Boilermaker to watch. Her passion for technology and innovation might just change the world.
Article courtesy of Purdue University
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