I joined Green Module Systems as a web developer. The scope seemed straightforward — build interfaces, write frontend logic, maybe touch some backend APIs if the project called for it. What I didn't expect was being handed a Reverse Vending Machine prototype to build. Not a web simulation of one. An actual, physical machine with a camera, sensors, a thermal printer, and a computer vision model that had to work in the real world. Even less expected was the fact that I'd step up to manage it.

Photo by: University Student Government | Motivated by the friction of delayed event standings, I self-initiated the development of a real-time web leaderboard for the University of St. La Salle’s largest sports event. While the technical execution—a mobile-first system with a secure admin CRUD panel—was a success, the project's true value lay in the post-mortem. This reflection explores the gap between building a functional tool and achieving institutional adoption, offering an honest look at stakeholder alignment, "on-the-fly" live deployment fixes, and the evolution from a display tool to an operational backbone.

Photos by Computer Science Society | From a quiet realization on a bus ride to leading the Computer Science Society through a year of "firsts," my term as Executive President was defined by unexpected growth. This is a reflection on navigating the resistance of leadership—from administrative hurdles to the success of our university’s first-ever Game Jam—and the lessons learned in cultivating a community rather than just managing an organization.