text: Courtney Zucker's life events and circumstances are a terrific example of how our chances in life significantly impact the persons we become. It all started in Mr. Jenkins' Geometry class during her sophomore year of high school. Mr. Jenkins chose to seat his students alphabetically, beginning with the first row and finishing with the last. Only two students remained as Mr. Jenkins called the final row of the classroom. Jonathan Walters and her. Mr. Jenkins announced, "The next seat is Jonathan Walters," as Jonathan took his seat. She'd get to sit next to Jonathan Walters, who she'd had a crush on since middle school. He was now the star of the soccer team and one of the most desirable boys in school. Courtney began to make her way to the seat, assuming she would be the next one called. "Ashley Yance?" Mr. Jenkins said. Courtney remained still. "How about we leave a seat for Ashley and give you a seat in the next row, all the way to the right?" Mr. Jenkins said. Courtney would have been seated on the opposite side of the classroom from Jonathan in the new seat. Mr. Jenkins double-checked his roster. "Oh, Ms. Yance looks to have relocated to Anchorage. Let's make that change, shall we?" Mr. Jenkins said as he crossed Ashley's name off the list. "Courtney Zucker, Courtney, why don't you sit next to Jonathan?" Mr. Jenkins said, unintentionally impacting Courtney's life. Jonathan leaned in and whispered to Courtney as she sat next to him. "I'm terrible at math; this is going to be a difficult year," Jonathan admitted. "My aunt teaches this class; if you need help, I'm pretty good at it. Let me know if you want to study together," Courtney said. "That would be great, thank you!" Jonathan said. And there it was, a pivotal moment in Courtney's life, and she had no idea. Ashley Yance, you see, is a lovely girl who excels in math as well, and has a personality that would have immediately had Jonathan pining for her. Instead, Jonathan and Courtney began a relationship and dated throughout high school and college. In her senior year, Courtney had discovered that she had a knack for building robots and engineering solutions to complex problems. Over spring break, there was a well-known engineering conference that would look great on her college application. She did not, however, have the money to attend the conference. Jonathan's Uncle happened to be the owner of Lacroix, a very posh and exclusive restaurant downtown. Jonathan's Uncle offered her a job at the upscale restaurant. She was able to attend the engineering conference because she had a job. There, she attended a speech by billionaire entrepreneur Vladimir Savage, the owner, and CEO of OrangeSoft, a well-known software engineering firm. She'd never heard of him before, but his speech touched something deep inside Courtney. She knew she wanted to work at OrangeSoft from then on; it became her life's ambition. Courtney discovered an internship at OrangeSoft during her final year of college and assumed it was fate; she applied for the internship and was able to gain an interview using her qualifications. Vladimir Savage conducted the interview, himself, stating that he takes satisfaction in meeting everyone who might work at OrangeSoft. Unfortunately for Courtney, the interview was a flop. It was her first major interview, and her lack of experience shone through. "I have to admit, Courtney, I really like your portfolio, but we're looking for someone a little older. I'm sorry, I think we're going to go in another direction," Vladimir said as he started to get ready for the next applicant. Courtney was taken aback and tried to leave the room with anxiety. As she stands from her seat, she inadvertently drops her purse over Vladimir's desk, causing her contents to spill and become scattered around. Her punch-in computer card from Lacroix Restaurant landed right in front of Vladimir. Vladimir's gaze was drawn immediately to the card. "Lacroix restaurant? That's my wife's favorite place; she particularly enjoys the profiteroles," Vladimir said. "Yeah, I work there on weekends. I'm in college, and I'm working my way through it," Courtney explained. Vladimir pauses for a moment before sifting over the other applicants' applications. "You know what, I've got a good feeling about you; I think we'll offer you the internship after all," Vladimir said. "Thank you; you will not be sorry; I will work for you day and night," Courtney said. Courtney worked harder than she had ever worked in her life for nearly a month. Recognizing Courtney's dedication, Jonathan tried to keep out of her way, but he surprised her one evening when he asked her to marry him, and she said yes. The next day at OrangeSoft, Courtney told her supervisor, Sam Richards, about her engagement. His reaction was not what she had anticipated. He began to experience an existential crisis as a result of all the hours he was working and everything he had sacrificed for OrangeSoft. Including losing the love of his life. Because Courtney was younger than him, the engagement had touched a nerve with Sam. The next day, Courtney learned that Sam had resigned from his position as her supervisor and had proposed that she take over in his replacement. Her ambition of getting a paid position at OrangeSoft was coming true. Courtney worked hard and gradually rose through the ranks; unfortunately, promotions brought with them increased pressure and responsibility. A year later, Courtney was struggling to come up with a new software concept. She hadn't been feeling well, which exacerbated the situation. The clock was ticking, and she had to propose the concept the next day. "Do you think you're pregnant?" Jonathan asked. "Oh my god, do you think?" Courtney said. "There's only one way to find out?" Jonathan said. That night, Courtney took a pregnancy test, which came out positive. While Jonathan and Courtney were overjoyed with the news, it also stimulated Courtney's creativity, leading to the creation of software that functions as a companion during pregnancy. She presented the concept the next day, and the board of directors, including Vladimir Savage, loved it. Courtney was promoted to Head of Engineering after the software was a huge success. She was now collaborating on projects with Vladimir Savage, himself. Courtney's abilities as a project manager, software engineer, and strategic marketer impressed Vladimir. Vladimir began to coach her as a potential vice president. Courtney realized one day that she had left an important schematic at home. She asked Jonathan if he could bring it in for her. Jonathan, being the devoted husband, delivered the schematic within an hour. Courtney was in an important meeting when he arrived, so he had to wait in the waiting room. That's where he met Vladimir Savage. Jonathan and Vladimir hit it off right away since they were both lovers of European soccer. Courtney and her husband, Vladimir, as well as his wife, became fast friends. They vacationed together, ate dinner together, and visited each other's homes on a regular basis. Vladimir was diagnosed with cancer about eight years later. Courtney and Jonathan were there for him during his chemo treatments and surgeries. Vladimir, however, did not make it. Unbeknownst to Courtney, Vladimir had left her the OrangeSoft company in a hidden will. Courtney was now the owner and CEO of one of the world's largest software companies. Courtney became a billionaire and one of the world's most influential celebrities as a result of her hard work and engineering ability. Courtney was asked back to her high school several years later to speak to the students about engineering and opportunities in STEM industries. Mr. Jenkins' last day before retirement happened to be the day she went. After her speech, Courtney went to her car in the parking lot, where she noticed Mr. Jenkins sitting in his car, staring ahead. Mr. Jenkins opened the window after Courtney knocked. "I simply wanted to wish you well, Mr. Jenkins," Courtney said. "Ha, you caught me in an introspective moment, just thinking about all the students I've had over the years," Mr. Jenkins laughed. "Now that I think about it, your class is where I met my husband; I owe a lot to your seating arrangement," Courtney said. "You know I remember that. I had never sat the students alphabetically before and would never do so again in my career, except for that one time," Mr. Jenkins said. "I guess it was just dumb luck," Courtney said. "Sure, luck plays a role in life, but the probability of events occurring is nearly impossible to calculate. But it's not about these chance events happening; it's about what you do with them when they do," Mr. Jenkins said.