Volunteer Spotlight: Paul Grad
For Paul Grad, a Senior Software Engineer at U.S. News & World Report, empowering the next generation of tech talent is personal. Growing up in a family where his mom and dad worked service jobs, he never imagined himself in tech. After nearly not graduating high school, Paul found his way to programming through an unexpected path – choosing computer science in community college simply because he enjoyed video games.
Through educational nonprofits like Base11 and Code2040, Paul discovered opportunities that transformed his life, leading to an internship at Autodesk and eventually launching his career as a software engineer. Now, as a Teaching Assistant and volunteer at Hack the Hood since 2023, he's dedicated to opening those same doors for others. Paul reflects:
“There are probably thousands of kids out there that haven’t realized that they could have a future working in STEM, and they just haven’t been given the opportunity to learn more about it or talk to people that work in these jobs. Hack the Hood fills a crucial role by introducing kids to tech, by giving them the opportunity to meet folks in the industry, and also to inspire them by showing how a career in tech can solve problems in their neighborhood and the world around them.”
In the classroom, Paul witnesses the transformative power of tech education firsthand. During a recent hackathon, he watched in amazement as students who had never built mobile apps before created solutions for real community challenges – from emergency assistance apps for disabled people to educational games encouraging outdoor exploration.
The experience has profoundly shifted Paul's perspective on success. While he once measured achievement solely through technical outputs and business results, mentoring has revealed a deeper truth: real impact comes from helping others grow. He sees Hack the Hood's work as especially crucial now, as tech skills become increasingly vital for addressing global challenges while building generational wealth for communities of color. Paul emphasizes:
“These kids have tremendous potential to change their lives and change the world around them through tech. They just need someone that will show them the path and give them the confidence to take it.”
As someone who has walked that path himself, Paul is helping ensure that the next generation of tech innovators won't have to navigate it alone.
