UNF student’s journey from Minecraft modding to software developer

Exploring the world of Minecraft as a child made a lasting impression on Joseph Cagle, a standout student in the University of North Florida’s School of Computing. As a homeschooled student, he began taking a Minecraft modding course at the age of 10 — learning basic coding techniques to customize the game’s 3D interactive virtual environment. 

“I wasn’t totally aware of what I was doing,” admitted Cagle, “but it was really fun to create things from nothing on the computer.” 

That early spark ignited a passion for computer programming that he continued to hone through his adolescent years, including his time at UNF, where he has maintained a 4.0 GPA within his major. This December, Cagle will graduate with Honors in Computing — earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a minor in mathematics. 

Early Years, Research Interests and Campus Activities 

A Virginia native, Cagle’s family moved to Jacksonville when he was a teenager. He says his fascination with computer programming grew organically. Without joining formal clubs, Cagle pursued independent projects throughout high school, teaching himself new skills and deepening his understanding of software development. 

He enrolled at UNF in fall 2022 using aid from the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program and the UNF President’s Platinum Scholarship — citing its reputable computer science program and affordability as main attractions. Cagle credits the School of Computing for offering a curriculum that both challenges and prepares its students to tackle real-world challenges. 

“The technical depth of the coursework gives students the opportunity to solve challenging problems and learn how to think like a programmer, and that’s going to be applicable no matter what job you’re in,” he said. 

Cagle recalls “Systems Programming,” taught by Scott Piersall, instructor, and “Construction of Language Translators,” taught by Dr. Indika Kahanda, associate professor, as two of his favorite courses. 

Additionally, Cagle credits School of Computing faculty members John Kelly and Dr. Sandeep Reddivari for their mentorship beyond the classroom. 

“Professor Kelly is very enthusiastic about helping students prepare for industry — he read my resume and gave me some great feedback. Professor Reddivari did the same.” 

During his time in the computer science program, Cagle developed an affinity for machine learning — the development of mathematical computational models that enable systems to recognize patterns, make predictions and adapt over time without specific instructions. 

Since last summer, he has been working on a bioinformatics research project involving protein function prediction with recent School of Computing alum Omar Elfayoumy, who graduated in Spring 2025, and two faculty members — Dr. Kahanda and Dr. Anirban Ghosh, associate professor. 

“If we have the shape of a protein, we're able to capture unique information about it to help figure out what it does,” Cagle said. 

Analyzing more than 5 million protein structures across multiple species, the team has developed a machine learning model that predicts protein function. 

They presented their research at the 2025 Florida Undergraduate Research Conference in Tampa in February and the Showcase of Osprey Advancements in Research and Scholarship (SOARS) at UNF in April. At present, the team is finishing a research paper they hope to get published soon. 

Cagle’s efforts working on the bioinformatics research project have garnered praise from his teammates, with Ghosh complimenting Cagle’s application of graph theory and machine learning techniques. 

"Joseph’s critical thinking skills and enthusiasm in problem-solving have been instrumental in the success of our research project and will continue to serve him well in the computer science field,” Ghosh said. 

Outside of the classroom and research activities, Cagle has made strong connections with fellow Ospreys as a member of the Osprey Competitive Programmers Club, serving as president during the 2024-25 academic year. He is also an active member of Grace on Campus, a Christian ministry of Grace Community Church at UNF. 

CSX and RF-SMART Internships 

In addition to extensive research, Cagle has expanded his knowledge and gained real-world industry experience thanks to two internships he secured by networking at on-campus career fairs and School of Computing symposium events. 

Throughout the summer and fall of 2024, he worked at CSX as a software development intern contributing to two technology initiatives. He worked with the Crew team on developing a new mobile app for train crews that consolidated features from multiple existing applications into a single portal. Cagle also found a way to connect the app to printers. 

“I was able to develop a working subsystem to allow the app to connect to printers on the company network, which allows people on trains to print from their tablets and other devices,” Cagle said. 

He also collaborated with fellow interns on a group project to build a retrieval-augmented generation chatbot designed to help employees easily access information from the company’s internal wiki. The team successfully developed a prototype and presented it to senior leadership. 

Cagle says he appreciated how CSX leadership gave interns an opportunity to learn about the full scope of their operations, stating “I learned a lot about what the business was doing daily and how my work impacted that.” 

He is currently interning at RF-SMART as a software development intern working on their NetSuite product engineering team. Since arriving there in the summer, he has successfully developed an app that allows managers to distribute messages to customers. Cagle says the app enables managers to propose drafts, make comments and more. The new software replaces a manual workflow and helps bolster the company's ability to provide warehouse management solutions. 

According to Cagle, these internships have provided him with valuable experience working on larger teams — strengthening his communication and interpersonal skills. 

Preparing for the Next Chapter 

As he looks forward to graduation, Cagle has accepted a job offer to become a Python Developer I at RF-SMART, beginning in January 2026. In this role, he will develop internal data automation tools, help identify customer needs and provide employees with easy access to company data. His long-term goal is to own a software development company offering innovative products and services that help streamline business workflows for clients. 

“I’m excited to start working and kick off the next chapter of my life,” he said. 

Although he will join the workforce right away, Cagle hasn’t ruled out earning a graduate degree someday. 

In the meantime, he is enjoying his final weeks as an undergraduate and spending time with loved ones. 

When discussing what he cherishes most about his time at The Nest, Cagle says that he is grateful for the endless support he has received from faculty. 

“The first thing that comes to mind is learning from the professors — they’ve made themselves available for career guidance, and that’s been valuable,” he said.