RailsConf 2025: Tia Anderson Shares Her Transformation as a RailsConf Scholar & Rising Engineer

On the ground at RailsConf 2025 in Philadelphia, PA, Rhiannon Payne chats with Tia Anderson, one of Ruby Central's Scholars from the Scholars and Guides program! Tia shares her journey into software engineering through the Scholars & Guides Program, where learners are paired with experienced guides to work on mini-projects. She walks us through her powerful conference experience, her lightning talk, and her project POM (Peace of Mind) — a gardening and mindfulness app that integrates AI for journaling prompts and wellness support. This conversation is full of inspiration, warmth, and the kind of community magic that makes Ruby so special. 💎 Since RailsConf, Tia has been confirmed as a speaker for the SF Ruby conference (Nov 19-20, 2025): https://sfruby.com/ Learn more about the Scholars & Guides Program: https://rubycentral.org/scholars_guides_program/