What is your full name, and what name do you prefer to go by? How do pronounce it phonetically?
Alexandra Yavnilovitch, but I usually go by Alex.
Which pronouns to do you prefer? (e.g. she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/their)
I prefer she/her/hers pronouns.
What is your birthday? Are you OK with having your birthday publicly acknowledged/celebrated?
My birthday is on January 27. I am usually more low-key about birthdays, but birthday wishes are always nice.
Where did you grow up?
I was born and grew up in Haifa, Israel. In 2012, I moved to Wisconsin and have been here ever since.
Did you have any fun nicknames while growing up? Do you have any now? What is the origin (if you feel comfortable sharing)?
My family calls me Sasha - which is (somehow) a nickname for Alexandra in Russian. From Sasha, friends in middle school came up with "Sushi".
What holidays do you celebrate (if any)?
I celebrate many Jewish holiday (Hanukkah, Passover, Purim, etc.), and also New Year is a big deal in my family.
Academics
What is your academic life like?
What year in school are you?
I am currently (April 2019) a junior, and soon to be a senior - scary.
When do you expect to graduate?
I expect to graduate on May 2020.
What is your major? How did you choose that?
My major is Computer Engineering and Computer Science. I am also hoping to complete an art certificate. I chose CMPE and CS because I like coding, and art to balance it out.
Do you know what you'd like to do after you graduate?
I really don't know. I think I would like to travel for a while - maybe go on a long trip in Europe.
Interests
What do you like to do when you're not in class/working for STS?
What do you like to do for fun?
I love to do art (painting, drawing, photography), and play tennis. Also, Netflix and YouTube consume large amounts of my day.
Do you have any hobbies or groups that you participate in?
I am a member of Club Tennis at UW Madison. I also try to stay involved in the Jewish community on campus.
Do you have any other jobs or internships?
I have an upcoming internship this summer in Palo Alto - I will be a software development intern.
Any exciting plans for summer/winter break?
I am very excited to be in the Bay area, because I love San Francisco, and California in general. I am also excited for my internship.
Neat Facts
What are some interesting, unexpected, or surprising facts about yourself?
What is something that might surprise someone who just met you?
It might surprise people to know that I am Israeli. I do have an accent, but people don't usually associate it with Israel.
Where is somewhere you have always wanted to travel?
I really want to visit Japan. I have always loved Japanese art and culture, and would love to see it for myself.
Have you ever met anyone famous?
I don't think I have ever met anyone famous. But I have seen many live stand-ups and concerts of people I really admire.
Life at STS
Talk a little bit about your time with STS
What is your favorite topic to teach?
My favorite topic to teach is probably Illustrator, just because I really enjoy using it myself.
What is something you are interested in learning?
I am interested in learning Python on a higher level.
What has been the most challenging part of working at STS?
I think that the most difficult part is managing school work and STS on a weekly basis.
Miscellaneous
Other potentially interesting bits of information about yourself
