By Brianna M. Abreu
Campus News
Anthony Chimbay is a Mexican first-generation college student raised in Brooklyn, New York. Anthony’s mother immigrated from Mexico to New York while not knowing much English. As his mother pushed through this hardship and took care of Anthony and his sister, Anthony didn’t know what the future held for him. These challenges inspired him to pursue a path that could help not only himself, but also other people as well. Even if he didn’t seem too motivated about the future. As Anthony was interviewed, he mentioned how Kaplan really ended up changing his whole life right around. At a younger age, Anthony realized how there were hard nights when it came to balancing out family. Some days, it was difficult to cover basic necessities. These challenges would present themselves as drivers of motivation for Anthony.
Anthony attended Borough of Manhattan Community College, majoring in Computer Science, getting his Associate’s in Science in July of 2024. He fell almost in immediate love with Computer Science. He engaged in research at the National Science Foundation (NSF), becoming an LSAMP Senior Researcher, as well as a Research Intern for this foundation. His big leap of going to artificial intelligence derives from his want of helping other people and the deep desire to give back to his community. His research aimed at helping children with autism by helping to develop AI tools that could: interpret facial expressions, as well as aiding in social and emotional development. His work began as a solo effort, but then grew into a bigger collaboration project with a team of dedicated individuals. His dedication to making a real difference in communities through technology aligns with his journey of overcoming obstacles to pursue his dream career in Computer Science.
With support from the Kaplan Leadership Program, Anthony’s academic career flourished. The program helped him elevate his GPA to a 4.0 which also helped encourage him to step out of his comfort zone. He moved from New York to attend Lawrence University, located in Appleton, Wisconsin. This was his first time living outside his city, and Kaplan’s continuous support helped him transition to this college seamlessly. Now at Lawrence, Chimbay is focused on completing his Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Computer Science, with plans to extend his research on autism and pursue his career in Artificial Intelligence. Throughout his story, he demonstrates his resilience and drive to improve his own life, and the lives of over.
Anthony Chimbay (AC) was interviewed by Brianna Abreu (BA), a student writer for Campus News, via Zoom in mid September. Valerie Silverman Kerr (VK), a Kaplan spokesperson, joined the call. This interview was edited for clarity.
BA: What would you say inspired you through those experiences as well as any other experience that you can share with me to pursue a career in artificial intelligence software engineering?
AC: I believe that this big leap of going to artificial intelligence derives from my want of helping other people out. Coming from that place where I felt like I had nothing, this became more than something. I believe that I want to give that to more than just other people. And I believe that with my skill in computing, as well as understanding machinery, I can provide artificial intelligence that can help our community as a whole, helping humans also develop and work through anthropology in today’s day and age.
BA: Can you tell me a little bit more about your work of helping children with autism in relation to artificial intelligence, and your research in this field as well?
AC: We started figuring out how we can help children with autism regarding artificial intelligence. We then came to the conclusion that facial recognition was not really permanently used for the market, so we tried correlating facial recognition with facial expressions. This would help children understand emotional expressions from others, and help them provide an understanding of what specific emotions may look like.
BA: What would you say from that research is your most profound experience through these findings?
AC: I believe that it was a collaboration, where I was the one mainly dealing with the team. It was just me to begin with, then I invited a friend. After that, more and more newcomers began to arrive. I believe that through me collaborating with my team, I was able to create an efficient team where we work together and try to see how it can potentially help kids with autism. Basically, supporting their social and emotional development through this project.
BA: Would you say that you developed a love for learning through Kaplan, or would you say you already had the sense of always being a curious learner?
AC: Originally, I feel like I grew up with no motivation to pursue education in middle school. I did not go too far in depth with education, and I really was considered a troublemaker. I believe my mom was very on top of me with “get on your education”. It was all for good reason, honestly. It was during high school where I really just stopped thinking about pursuing education for real. I used to be a 4.0 GPA student my freshman year. From there on, my grades just dropped drastically. This was also around the same time the pandemic was at its peak, and for an entire two years I had to just wake up and sit and basically do nothing.
I had a scholarship for a Brooklyn college, yet I still felt no push deep down to do community college. I took this path of realization of wanting to continue my life regardless of education. I ended up going into sales and marketing for the two years I wasn’t in education. As a first generation college student, it was a shock to my mom that I picked up education again. It further shocked my mom that I was doing my best for that 4.0 GPA that I strived to have once again, to make my freshman self proud. I took 4 summer courses that I needed, got involved in an internship, and through this experience I started taking more courses, graduated with an Associate’s degree, and managed to complete it in a year and a half. Afterwards, I felt like the Kaplan Leadership Program was right behind me the whole time. They helped me push myself more outside these barriers and they really just pushed me to the point of being knowledgeable of boundaries set for me, and really helped me enforce setting these boundaries myself. I’m more than just someone from New York City. With the help from them, they put me into a school location in Appleton, WI, which took place at a competitive 4-year university that was a great push… as I’ve never been outside of my city before, or really just out of the state, honestly. I was nervous, but here I am going to Lawrence University and it’s better than ever.
BA: When exactly did you learn about the Kaplan Leadership Program?
AC: I learned about the program mostly during my fall term in 2023. An advisor emailed me this opportunity, and at the time I didn’t really feel like it was necessarily meant for me. I still definitely struggled with self doubt at the time, but deep down I was more than capable to do this leadership program. I realize to myself that I’m never going to get out of this boundary if I don’t explore these different opportunities. I think that through these interviews and info sessions from Kaplan, I realize how they would provide all these resources for me out of a real care for me. When I got accepted, it felt like a dream came true. I received a writing coach and a lot of assistance from a family-like community, and they also gave me the chance to explore new colleges which are beyond my budget; lifting all of these financial burdens right off my shoulders. I am capable of writing a stronger application. This pushed me to really believe in myself.
BA: Before you were engaged with Kaplan, did you think of college being a possibility or was Kaplan the door opener for you?
AC: I can say that I wouldn’t get to explore these different opportunities if it wasn’t for Kaplan. I felt like I was really staying in the city. With Kaplan, it really elevated my perspective outside of my state, and made me realize that there are so many opportunities in the world, and that the world is bigger than it is. Kaplan introduced me and helped me find the college I currently go to now.
BA: Can you tell me a little bit more about the writing coach and the resources that they provided you with and how they supported you through your professional goals?
AC: At first, it started with me making an attempt at creative writing for Jon Shames. It really elevated my skill because throughout my entire writing process, I would submit a draft, he would send me back a revision, and I would submit yet another draft, and get back a revision. So from those points on, I felt like I was learning piece by piece how to become a better overall writer. Whether it be stories or an essay, just to write better. It really transitioned to now writing overall a lot more advanced. My friends tell me sometimes that they wouldn’t recall me writing like that. Sometimes I’m shocked at some of the pieces I could write.. Seeing my potential kind of opens up my eyes a little. I really recognize my ability to write more proficiently and with a sort of passion that I can notice in my writing. I truly do thank my writing coach for the elevation.
BA: What other kinds of resources impacted your social or emotional well being that Kaplan provided, if any?
AC: I would say that the community they provide with alumni, peers, Kaplan scholars, cohorts really impacted me in a positive way, and I do definitely feel comfortable with using these resources. Alums from the previous cohorts connect to give advice, mentor, network with community, etc. These people can even include people with careers who graduated through the Kaplan Leadership Program. At first, it feels like a family. It feels like an incredible opportunity to click with different minds and generations. You can gain different opportunities even if you may be in a different college now. I would also like to say that they provided me with ease on my financial burdens and helped me with my mental health and well being. I was able to not worry about the financial part of my life, but to focus on academics, being fully present in the moment.
BA: How would you say you have stayed connected to some of your mentors?
AC: Right now, I’m connecting with my advisor, who has regularly checked up on me to make sure I was all right with my Lawrence application and the whole transition process. We went through financial aid, etc. The small stuff like that really helped me out a lot because I felt like I wasn’t alone. Having this continuous support feels so welcoming. Considering I came alone from Brooklyn, New York, what I can say is that I feel like I have a friend. I feel like they always care for me… and for them to care for me means a lot. If I fall down and they believe me, I’m going to get up and start fighting back. And that’s what the Kaplan Leadership Program does for me..
They give me the motivation I need to keep on going. We keep each other up, almost impossible to be knocked down.
BA: What are you working towards right now in your career?
AC: Right now I’m working on my Bachelor’s in Computer Science. I am trying to get into more research for children’s autism, doing more and more research at Lawrence University. After finishing at Lawrence, I would like to look into employment at a firm of artificial intelligence. From there, I hope what I learned from Lawrence along with the research as well can really help be put together to really leave a true impact on society.
BA: What would be some advice that you would give your younger self knowing everything you know now.
AC: I would say to not give up. There were many things in my life that made me want to leave all this baggage on the floor and just give it up. I believe with how I am, and how my mom and dad told me to never give up, I never really gave up. I kept it going even if I knew that the odds were all against me. I would also want to tell my younger self that everything will work if you do your best. I always tried doing my best, and I guess everything ended up working out in the end.
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