John Blanco

About

I’ve never taken the straight path, but that’s what makes my journey unique. I started out in the sciences, drawn by curiosity and a desire to understand how the world works. But life pulled me in a different direction, and I spent most of my 20s building a career in real estate. Those years taught me resilience, how to thrive under uncertainty, and how to connect with people on a deeper level. At the same time, I pushed myself physically as a THP athlete, where discipline and performance under pressure became second nature. Eventually, I felt the pull back to academics and technology. Against the odds and after nearly a decade away from school, I secured one of the rare transfer spots into the University of Waterloo’s Computer Science program. It’s an opportunity that combines my lifelong love of problem-solving with the grit and adaptability I’ve developed across every chapter of my journey. Now, I’m channelling all of that experience into becoming not just a capable software engineer, but someone who thrives on challenges, adapts quickly, and is always looking for ways to push boundaries.

Experience

Education