As a teen, Maria Zapata had big, bold dreams.
Just 15 years old, she had already started dreaming of working for computing giants like Apple, Google, or NASA. She had strong, supportive parents and a good home in Barranquilla, Colombia. She was smart, industrious, and determined. But what she didn鈥檛 have was a pathway to achieve her dreams.
鈥淚 remember my mom saying there are two types of people in the world: The ones on the TV screen achieving their dreams, and the ones just watching,鈥� she said. 鈥淭here are no fairy godmothers who wave a wand and make them happen.鈥�
So, she decided to become her own fairy godmother.
Today, she鈥檚 just steps away from her goal. A master鈥檚 student in computer science at the 色色研究所, she鈥檚 spending the summer in Texas, interning with Apple as a full-stack developer focused on artificial intelligence.
Big Ideas, Bold Execution
Zapata began her college education at Universidad del Norte, one of Colombia鈥檚 top private institutions, where she majored in both software engineering and mathematics. During her third semester, she proposed an ambitious project for a university competition: Build a life-sized smart house controlled by a mobile app.
She had never developed an app before. So she built a team that could.
鈥淚 recruited 20 students from different engineering backgrounds,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 created a whole plan like it was a company, with team leads and technical roles. And in one semester, we built it.鈥�
Her team took home the competition鈥檚 top prize and the experience helped lay the foundation for what came next: The chance to complete her final undergraduate year at USF and earn a third degree, this time in computer science.
A Path Built on Persistence
She arrived in Tampa alone, without a car, without her family, and with English as a second language. She quickly found herself juggling a demanding academic schedule with part-time work as a barista on campus, all while navigating a new country and culture.
鈥淚t was overwhelming at first,鈥� Zapata said. 鈥淏ut I knew why I was here. I had dreamed of working in tech at places like Apple, Bloomberg or NASA. I knew this was part of the path.鈥�
Her focus paid off. She graduated summa cum laude. She earned Colombia鈥檚 prestigious Lino de Pombo Award, recognizing the nation鈥檚 top engineering graduate. And she took the next step on her path. She enrolled in the Master of Science in Computer Science program in USF鈥檚 new Bellini College of Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity and Computing.
Graduate Study, Faculty Mentorship, and a Research Focus
Now in her second year of the graduate program, Zapata is specializing in artificial intelligence and pursuing the thesis track. She works in the with USF Assistant Professor Julia Woodward, researching gesture-based interactions in augmented reality environments.
鈥淚鈥檓 doing research on gestures that can be applied for the people who are experiencing AR headsets for the first time.鈥�
She chose the thesis option precisely for this kind of lab opportunity.
鈥淚n the master鈥檚 program, you鈥檙e more independent. You have more control over your time, and your project can be as big as you want it to be,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou only have a few required courses, most are electives, so you can really focus on what you鈥檙e enthusiastic about and go deeper into the tech you want to explore.鈥�
Though the coursework is challenging, Zapata praises the program faculty, including Woodward and Assistant Professor of Instruction Marbin Pazos Revilla. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e the kind of faculty who care about you as a person, not just a student. They push you, but they believe in you.鈥�
She also works as a teaching assistant, an experience that helps financially while allowing her to reinforce her own learning by supporting undergraduate students in the field.
Creating Her Own Magic: an internship with apple
Outside the classroom, Zapata connected with professionals through student organizations like the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, where she met industry leaders and built the confidence to apply for roles at top companies. She practiced networking and connecting with people and talking about her work at USF.
That effort paid off. Zapata landed interviews with Apple, Microsoft, Google and Bloomberg.
She accepted the Apple internship offer, which she began earlier this summer.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 share much about the work, but I can say the people are brilliant and kind,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the kind of environment that motivates you to be your best.鈥�
She will return to Tampa in August to complete her final year and hopes to receive a full-time job offer after graduation.
Now, when she thinks about the fairy tales she grew up with, she sees them differently.
鈥淭here wasn鈥檛 a clear path, and there wasn鈥檛 anyone to do it for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淣o one waved a wand. 鈥淚 did that myself, thanks to UniNorte and USF.鈥�