Sydney Johnson

Hometown:
Oconto, Wisconsin

Degree:
Computer Engineering and Computer Science

Wondering how a computer worked gave Sydney Johnson a path to follow.

Johnson, a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from Oconto, Wisconsin, is a recipient of the College of Letters & Science Board of Visitors Great People Scholarship. His major is computer engineering and computer science.

"I had been planning on gaining admission to the University for a few years," he said. "The reputation of the school is amazing. It's an honor being here."

As for his interest in computers, "I stumbled upon it a few years ago. I did some research and I talked myself through the work," he said. "I liked it enough that I thought it was something I'd like to go into."

Johnson carried 16 credits his first semester after graduating from a high school with about 300 students, where he was on the math team and a member of a Solar Olympics team that built small machines running on solar power. "Being here is even better than I had hoped it would be," he said. "The resources that are available, the hustle and bustle, it's all great. Coming from a small town, it's quite a change.

"It's fantastic that donors make this possible," he said. "I'm very thankful for my Great People Scholarship. It's a big help."