Gia Hayes '20, Computer Science & Engineering

As a software developer at Microsoft, Gia Hayes '20 helps power a platform millions rely on everyday. Photo by Tristan Stuart/Tristan Stuart Visuals

Millions of people rely on Microsoft Teams for work and personal use every day, and Gia Hayes '20 helps make that possible. But for Hayes, building technology is just one piece of a much bigger vision. Since discovering her passion for computer science at Bucknell, she has pursued a career defined by curiosity, problem-solving and possibility. In addition to her work at Microsoft, Hayes is an entrepreneur running a tutoring and mentorship company, an app developer and an active real estate investor. Her journey is a reminder that success doesn’t have to follow a single path — and that the skills we build in one area can fuel innovation in another.
 

How did you get involved in computer science?

Early in my time at Bucknell, I took "Rising of the Machines," a computer science seminar course. It sparked something in me. I called my mom and was like, "This is what I want to do. I love this — this is for me." At that time, I didn't know how it would affect my course load or whether I could even change my major to computer science & engineering (I was a civil engineering major), but I knew I would do anything I could to pursue it.

What do you enjoy most about being a software engineer?

I look forward to attacking new problems every day. For example, I got up early this morning — and I'm not an early-morning person — to start a project on Teams. I get to work on another feature that will be shipped out to the world soon. It makes me excited to think that, eventually, millions of everyday users will be able to experience and consume the work that my team and I have done. So, I think that initial spark I felt for computer science is still there, and I wake up just feeling lucky and blessed that I'm able to do what I do.

How did you start your math tutoring company?

It came about when I was leaving Bucknell in 2020. Everybody had to leave campus suddenly because of the pandemic, and it was a lot to handle. It made me realize that people were leaving an environment with resources, such as the Teaching & Learning Center and the Center for Career Advancement, and returning to their hometowns, where they'd have to figure out how to finish the semester. It was a weird, uncertain time, which is why I started Gia Wia's Math Hub. I had previous experience as a peer tutor and study group facilitator at Bucknell, which I loved, and I knew in that moment that many people needed those extra resources.

What drives you to pursue multiple streams of revenue?

Real estate was something I knew I wanted to be part of my journey from a young age because my mom is a realtor. From the time I was 5, I went with her to open houses, watched her work with clients and saw those same families come back to buy their first home, second home, third home. I saw how owning something could create stability, opportunity and wealth that lasted beyond one generation. That shaped how I think about everything I do.

At the center of that legacy is ownership — whether that's owning real estate, building a business, creating a digital product or developing something that has value long after you've built it. Ownership is what turns hard work into something that can be sustained, scaled and eventually passed down. If you look at anything I'm doing — building the app, tutoring, mentoring, real estate — it all comes back to that idea. I want to create opportunities that serve my community while also building something lasting for my family and me. For me, success isn't just about earning more; it's about creating assets and opportunities that continue to grow and make an impact over time.

I try to have a delusional belief that there's nothing too out of reach or that can't be done. I know sometimes people say, "Maybe you're doing too much," or "You should really only focus on one or two things." I just see that as limiting. I don't want to pigeonhole myself into one path. There are so many things I can build, create and own, and I want to pour myself into each of them to see where they lead.

Do you see any connection between your entrepreneurial projects and your job as a software engineer? 

Yes, and no. Of course, what I do as a software engineer is different than what I do as a real estate investor or as a tutor. They're different fields, but people may not consider the skills that can transfer across them. As I'm building my problem-solving and strategy muscles as a developer, I can apply them as an investor, a tutor and a mentor. And when it comes to funding my other passions and interests, being a software engineer at a big tech company goes a long way.

What skills did you build at Bucknell that have helped you in your career today?

When you look at my time at Bucknell, you'll see that I immersed myself in every opportunity I could. I was a peer tutor and study group facilitator in the Teaching & Learning Center, served as outreach coordinator for the Association for Computing Machinery for Women in Computing, held leadership roles on campus, including serving as president of a campus chapter, and conducted research as both a Bucknell STEM Scholar in civil & environmental engineering with Professor Corrie Walton-Macaulay and in data privacy and human-computer interaction with Professor Darakhshan Mir [computer science]. I was also a student-athlete on the women's basketball team.

I wanted to experience the full breadth of what Bucknell had to offer. Being involved in so many different areas meant learning how to manage my time, prioritize and balance competing responsibilities. The organization, discipline and routines I developed as a student are the same habits I rely on today as I build my career and pursue multiple ventures.