Software Engineer Shares How She Landed Google Job in US, Inspires Many
- US-based Kenyan woman Zalendo captivated audiences with her journey from Kenya to Columbia University, demonstrating how perseverance and discipline fueled her academic achievements
- Originally aspiring to study medicine, she shifted to computer science after discovering a passion for technology, eventually earning a highly sought-after position at Google
- Facing challenges as a foreign student, Zalendo successfully balanced internships, demanding coursework, and cultural adaptation, graduating with honours and delivering Columbia University’s 2025 commencement address
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Many dream of travelling abroad to pursue the “American dream,” yet only a few succeed through determination rather than chance.
Source: TikTok
For US-based Kenyan software engineer Zalendo, her journey exemplifies what persistence, discipline, and focus can achieve. Sharing her story with TUKO.co.ke, she recounted how hard work and deliberate choices propelled her from a childhood in Kenya to a thriving career at Google.
As a child, Zalendo aspired to become a doctor, excelling academically and earning an A in the 2019 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE).
She applied to study medicine at the University of Nairobi but found her path shifting when an opportunity to study abroad presented itself.
“I’ve always been drawn to technology and the access it provides. Seeing my elder cousin work in IT sparked a passion in me early on. I realised it was my chance to tap into the world’s best tech markets, like Silicon Valley,” she explained.
Before moving abroad, Zalendo interned at Equity Group Foundation in 2020, gaining practical experience that would later support her academic pursuits. In 2021, she enrolled at Columbia University, where her first programming course ignited her interest in software engineering.
She credits her Kenyan roots, particularly the rigour of the 8-4-4 system, with preparing her for high-pressure environments.
“Being Kenyan gave me a solid identity that remained unwavering, even while living in New York City,” she shared.
Watch the TikTok video below.
Adapting to life abroad and career
Zalendo navigated the challenges of Ivy League academics and cultural adjustments with discipline and resilience.
She balanced a summer campus job, internships at Amazon, and later at Google, while maintaining excellent grades and leadership roles.
“In Kenya, you are often evaluated strictly on grades; in the West, grades are just part of the story. I managed responsibilities using three core values I learned in Kenya: prioritisation, defining value, and goal-setting,” she said.
Socially, bridging cultural differences posed another challenge. Making friends required finding common ground with peers from Russia, South America, and beyond. She also missed the Kenyan sun, often cooking traditional meals and returning home annually to reconnect with family and friends.
By 2025, Zalendo graduated with honours, delivered the commencement speech at Columbia University, and secured a full-time role at Google. Her work now spans software development and AI research, with a vision of influencing technology while giving back to Kenya’s local ecosystem.
“I dream of a future where Kenyans no longer have to leave the country to access world-class education, experiences, or expertise,” she said.
Zalendo encourages young people to believe in their agency, seek out opportunities, and manage time effectively. Her story demonstrates that excellence, perseverance, and intentional relationships can transform ambition into tangible success, inspiring a new generation of Kenyans to aim high and remain resilient.
Source: YEN.com.gh
