SXU Facility, Alumni and current attending students all gathered for the annual SXU Cougars in Technology conference.
Hosted in the Butler Reception room, the seats designated for the audience were packed in front of a panel of people employed within the field of Computer Science and Studies.
In total, 15 alumni attended the event to speak with students about their journey into the field. The panel began with a brief introduction of all attendants and their roles in their respective careers. Persons of particular interest were Alex Lukasik, Class of 2015, who “…[had] jumped around more jobs than anyone else here.”, as well as Alina Goebel, Class of 2005, who has had over 15 years of experience and is currently employed as an IT Manager for Walgreens.
Ahmad Alshair, Gabriel Wijtyk, and Ruben Robles were the most recent to graduate from SXU, all completing their degrees in 2018. After introductions, a Q and A portion was held.
Though questions were slow to come in initially, the crowd eventually warmed up. One of the most pressing questions the crowd engaged in pertained to advice about getting into internships and the role they serve in students careers. The messages were universal from the panelists; networking played a very large role. It was important to get your name out to recruiters.
In addition, Goebel added, “Looking for a job is a full-time job. You have to send your resume out to everyone and make sure people know you’re interested.”
Another topic presented was advice for those who were approaching their graduation date, and therefore would no longer qualify for internships. Brian Catanzaro, Class of 2015, recounted an anecdote of his time at SXU. An internship that had extended him a job offer verbally during his last year swiftly retracted it just a month before he was set to walk across the stage. “Nothing is confirmed until you’ve obtained it, and verbal understandings can be taken back.”
Alshair offered insight that no one in the room expected to hear. “Internships are not the end all be all. They really help out and look really good on applications, but they are certainly places you can work without having participated in one.”
When asked what the alumni considered were the shortcomings of the department post-graduation and their advice on circumventing those drawbacks, the room filled with awkward murmurs, grasps, and chuckles. One of the panelists evenly jokingly asked Professor Mehta to exit the room. After gathering their thoughts, many panelists had opinions.
Alshair pointed out that Computer Science at SXU was primarily focused around software development, and how experience with hardware was something he felt could be added to enhance the quality of life for the program. One common response was that SXU education was not the end-all-be-all.
Bart Budz, Class of 2008, said “Don’t think that your degree is enough. You’re never done learning.”
Austin Regan, Class of 2016, shared that the program’s highlight was its ability to develop critical thinking skills. Adding on, Kevin Taylor, Class of 2016, stated, “Don’t think about it as you learning Java. You’re learning arrays. Syntax. These skills are universal and can be applied to any language you end up working in.”
After the panel came to an end, the panelists were asked to share quick pieces of advice to the audience. Alshair shared, “Get as much sleep as you can. I know it’s hard when Professor Mehta assigns 40 assignments in a week, but when you’re out, take care of yourselves”.
Wijtyk remarked, “Don’t get complacent.”
Goebel spoke of the importance of self-marketing, insisting those who wanted to be taken serious needed to create a LinkedIn and add everyone they knew, as recruiters are constantly on the lookout for qualified persons. As the night came to an end, panelists broke into small groups, speaking with undergraduates on a more intimate level on their experiences. Undergrads networked with the people who had walked among the very halls they did.
Eric Perez
News Reporter