Melissa Foyles Ed
Systems Developer
North Carolina Education Lottery
Raleigh, NC 27604
Phone: 919-301-3516
Fax: 919-715-8833
med@lotterync.net
mjfoyles@msn.com

((Updated November 2007)
Millills learned from the Multimedia Arts department at UNCA. They also offer databases, networks and server solutions. In addition, they are an authorized U.S. Cellular dealer. But their strong point is in consulting and cost analysis. See the newspaper link for a more complete story  http://cgi.citizen-times.com/cgi-bin/story/wncbusiness/38709

A lot has happened since my graduation in May 2003. NetLert laid off most (all?) of their employees (including their lowly intern), my wife and I had a beautiful baby boy name Samuel, and I ended up working for the ex-senior developer of NetLert in his new company HomeGauge, a home inspection software company. Beginning in August 2006, I accepted the position as IT Systems Administrator for the Hebraic Heritage Christian Center, http://www.hebraiccenter.org, in Atlanta, GA. HHCC is a relatively new institution devoted to teaching about the Hebraic foundations of the Christian faith. As Systems Administrator, I was responsible for the initial deployment of our custom written on-line learning environment. A small subsection of my continued responsibilities include testing new changes in a staging environment, deploying the changes to our production environment, managing user accounts, and setting up and maintaining the office LAN. Presently, I am a "jack of all trades"! This continues to be an excellent opportunity in which I am able use existing knowledge as well as stretch beyond imagined limitations.

Currently, Bart is living the good life of being married, working full time and completing his work on an MBA degree through Clemson University in two semesters.

Bill Scharf and Carrie(formerly Carrie Hunt, see 2002 Grads below) Drake Software Franklin, NC bjscharf@myway.com

(10/25/2007)

(Updated Nov. 2007)
Bill and Carrie still work at Drake Software but have added a new addition to their family in 2007 as per the little one above!

(Updated Feb. 2004)
Bill and Carrie Hunt (see 2002 Grads below) were married in Arden, NC on Jan. 10, 2004. I believe they are only the second or third UNCA Computer Science graduates that have decided to marry. Congratulations!

(Updated Summer. 2002)
I will be working on the utilities and setup features of Drake Software in Franklin, NC, one of the biggest tax software companies.  The main language they use is PowerBasic in both the Windows and DOS environments. I plan to take some tax classes to better understand what users would want in tax software.  The CSCI faculty might like to know that in an interview for the Anteon company of Waynesville, I was asked about a karnaugh map--so it is good to never forget some concepts.
 

Adam Ramsey Dagosi, LLC Hickory, NC 29602 http://www.dagosi.com anramsey@dagosi.com (Updated May. 2006)

On a personal note, I got married April 15th.  I suppose my fatal flaw is that she is a WCU grad, but I suppose no-one is perfect!  Thanks again for everything you and every other CS (and even a few non-CS) professors did for me while I was at UNCA.

Caryl Sinfield Continental Teves, Inc Fletcher, NC

(Updated Dec. 2007)
Caryl continues to work for  Continental Teves as she has for the past 17 years as the SAP HR Systems Administrator. In Sept 2007 she was elected 71st President of the North Carolina Federation of Business Professional Women for the 2007-2008 fiscal year.

(Updated July. 2005)
Caryl has been at Continental Teves as the SAP HR System Administrator since 1991. In August of 2006 she was elected the Vice President of the North Carolina Federation of Business and Professional Women

Paula Witherspoon The Biltmore Company Asheville, NC pwitherspoon@biltmore.com (Updated July. 2005)

McKesson is a very large company and is always looking for exceptional talent.  For juniors and seniors making post graduation from UNCA plan, feel free to take a look at: http://www.mckesson.com/careers to search for job openings at various locations around the United States and Canada.  McKesson’s primary technology headquarters is in the Atlanta, GA metro area, where many computer science and information systems personnel are employed.

As far as my current position on the Software Engineering job track, I hope to progress to higher levels of Software Engineering positions, and to make a positive impact on patient care within the health care industry.

If any current Computer Science students have any general questions concerning my positive experiences in the Computer Science industry, please do not hesitate to contact me via email: jdeshaies@gmail.com

I would like to thank the Computer Science faculty, and Dr. Rebecca Bruce, for the opportunities they have given me while at UNCA, and for the top notch Computer Science education received from UNCA.

Max Volkov UPS Atlanta, GA maxvol@gmail.com

(Updated January.  2006)
2000-2001 (Full time + classes UNCA) worked as Cold Fusion Developer 4.5 - 5.0 at local Travel agency "Wilcox Travel and tours" www.wilcoxtravel.com
2002 - Present  Running my "website design business" www.gwsol.com
2004 - 2005 (contract). Working  as a Graphical User Interface Designer at TEDS Inc. www.teds.com
2005 - 2006 (contract) Working as Cold Fusion 7.1 MX Developer at UPS in Atlanta  www.ups.com

Genie Jenkins Dept. of Communication NC State Univeristy esjenkin@social.chass.ncsu.edu

2/25/2005

In addition to my job as Grad. Stud. Svcs. Asst., I am now maintaining and designing a webcourse for the Department Head  (Comunication and Political Campaigns) and the graduate program website. I also help tweak the computers around here when needed or help get my coworkers through the basics when they have trouble with their computers or have never used a specific software before.Everything I learned at UNC-Asheville has been utilized here.  I find this job so much easier b/c of the experience I gained in college, especially with maintaining flexibility with software. (They put us on something new about every three months.)

To those who are still studying, study hard and get internships or part time jobs in your field while you are still in school.  Having a degree is NOT enough anymore.  I know it is tough to do both, but the payoff in the long run will make the hard work worth so much for you.

(Updated Dec, 2003)
 I just wanted you to know that I finally got a permanent job over at NC  State.  I am in the Graduate Student Services Assistant in the Dept. of Communication.  I am also considering pursuing a Master's of Liberal Sciences in Geographic Information Systems.  No decisions yet, but I will be signing up for an internet course NCSU offers in the next few weeks.

Before I worked at NCSU, I worked as temporary part time Production Assistant over at WTVD ABC 11 Eyewitness News in Durham.  What a blastthat was!  When the war started, I worked close to 50 hours a week.  The job was fun and edgy though.

 Drake Software is recognized as a leader in software development for tax professionals.  (www.drakesoftware.com) I am working as a state programmer and writing in PowerBasic. My  group develops forms for states and Michigan cities.  Our groups consist of a Tax Analyst, a Quality Assurance Tester, and programmers. After we ship the product at the beginning of tax season, everyone in the company becomes support and answers customer’s calls.   http://www.dnet.net/jobs
 

 I really enjoyed your class with the guest lecturers from the local IT community; Dr. Jennings from the Hospital, the security guy from
Sonopress and the others. Also, I thought you and Walt Turner went out of your way to incorporate actual business/industry experience into the
courses. It turned out to be invaluable information. Knowing what to expect and how to conduct yourself in a corporate IT environment can take you a
long way.

(Updated September 2008)
 Margarita moved to Mission Hospital in July of 2008 as an IS support person for the HR Benefits and Compensation team.

(Updated September 2007)
After many years of service at INGLES Market Headquarters in Swannanoa, NC, Margarita has come back to UNCA to work as an Applications Analyst in the Information Technology Services department

(Updated September 2008)
 The job I accepted out of school was with a barcode labeling company named SATO.  I am now a Product Development Manager in Marketing/Product Development and the past few years I have mainly focused on RFID technology.  We have an integration group which spans much beyond the encoding and printing of RFID labels and installs full RFID systems including RFID hardware, middleware, WMS software, which I have also spent a good bit of time working with.  I have sat on several standards committees with EPC Global which develops industry standards for the Electronic Product Codes.

I figured I would just let you know a student pre RFID buzz fell into that industry from UNCA.  It is very exciting that UNCA is offering classes that deal with RFID as I do see and have seen it being a great technology that can be used in a vast range of applications to better processes.

Anthony C. Reidler
Implementation/Application Specialist
HA&W Innovative Technologies, LLC
mailto:anthony.reidler@hawcpa.com
(Updated September 2004)
Change is good. So here we go again. As of September 20th I am no longer with Lockheed Martin nor the CDC. When I was originally hired for that position I knew that there was the possibility that Lockheed might not be awarded the CDC contract when it came up for renewal at the end of August, and that's exactly what happened. Ahh... you've just got to love being a government contractor.

So, with all the uncertainty that was abound prior to the end of the contract, I decided to get out while I could. Thus I began job hunting again and landed a new job in the IT division of a local CPA firm here in Atlanta. HA&W Innovative Technologies, LLC is an international technology consulting firm specializing in the design, implementation, and training for accounting firms and is a subsidiary of Habif, Arogeti & Wynne, LLP; the second largest CPA firm in Georgia.

In my new position, I will be handling the installation and setup of a web-based document management system known as SIAN. Originally written in FoxPro and developed to manage HA&W's scores of tax paperwork, it was completely redesigned as a web-based application utilizing Microsoft's .NET framework with VB.NET source code. Typical installations take place at client locations throughout the U.S. in about two to three days and involve installing and configuring Windows 2003 Server, the SIAN application and various other hardware.

This is a big change from the web development that I've been doing the last four years, but with the experience I've gained developing web-based .NET applications in VB.NET, I should have no problem. There will also be a lot of travel involved since my main functions will be performed at client offices throughout the U.S. Anyway, I'm excited and hope it all works out.

For those students seeking a career in Web development, I want to stress the importance of learning how to actually write HTML and the other underlying code. GUIs are great, but most of them generate unnecessary code that can actually hinder Web site performance. Anyone can call themselves a "developer", but if they can't "developed" without a GUI, they will be lost in the real world. The other is cross-browser support. What may look good and work in Internet Explorer, most likely will not in other browsers like Netscape, Opera, etc. Do yourself a favor and learn how these similar but different browsers render HTML.

As far as changing jobs goes, don't be afraid to take a chance. However, try to consider all your options. Don't just change jobs because you can. Employers look for stability and commitment and usually frown on those who have held several jobs within the course of the same year.

Lastly, and to paraphrase another UNCA CS graduate, Roger Batsel, it is important that current CS majors realize that a broad exposure to various techniques and programming languages is far more valuable than specialization in any one particular area. Graduating seniors should not think that they are unprepared for the "real-world" of the IT field just because they are not experts in C++, C#, Java, UNIX, LINUX, or the latest cutting-edge technology. Instead, a good overall familiarity with general programming language fundamentals and computing theory will be much more useful in their careers because this understanding creates the foundation upon which expertise and specialization can be built.

Upcoming graduates are more than welcome to write should they have any questions. Just direct an e-mail to mailto:anthony.reidler@hawcpa.com?Subject=UNCA Alumni Contact

(Updated June 2004)
Web Technology Specialist
Superior Technical Resources, Inc.
Lockheed Martin Information Technology
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - National Immunization Program
Change is in the air... On June 7th, I began working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, by way of Lockheed Martin's Information Technology division. I no longer work in downtown Atlanta, which I already miss. It was nice to be able to walk outside and have lunch at the various downtown restaurants.

My new job is similar to my last in that I mainly work with Active Server Pages (ASP) (both classic and .NET). Most of the programming is done in VBScript and VB.NET.

One of my main functions is to make sure that web pages and other documentation produced are Section 508 compliant. Basically that means that people who are blind, deaf, cognitively impaired, limited in range of motion, and so on, can still find, view or understand, and use the web sties and the various other documents found there.

Some of the other technology that I am exposed to is Static and Dynamic HTML, Cascading Style Sheets, Java-Script, SQL Server 2000 Database Design and Integration, ADO, ADO.NET, various graphic design software such as Macromedia Fireworks and Adobe Photoshop.

Two things I can stress to current students seeking a career in Web development is to learn how to actually write HTML and the other underlying code. GUIs are great, but most of them generate unnecessary code that can actually hinder Web site performance. Anyone can call themselves a "developer", but if they can't "developed" without a GUI, they will be lost in the real world. The other is cross-browser support. What may look good and work in Internet Explorer, most likely will not in other browsers like Netscape, Opera, etc. Do yourself a favor and learn how these similar but different browsers render HTML.

Lastly, and to paraphrase another UNCA CS graduate, Roger Batsel, it is important that current CS majors realize that a broad exposure to various techniques and programming languages is far more valuable than specialization in any one particular area. Graduating seniors should not think that they are unprepared for the "real-world" of the IT field just because they are not experts in C, Java, UNIX, LINUX, or the latest cutting-edge technology. Instead, a good overall familiarity with general programming language fundamentals and computing theory will be much more useful in their careers because this understanding creates the foundation upon which expertise and specialization can be built.

Upcoming graduates are more than welcome to write should they have any questions. Just direct an e-mail to cke2@cdc.gov

(First entered in November 2001)
I am currently employed by Unisys and working in the offices of the U.S. General Services Administration in downtown Atlanta, GA.  I came into contact with Unisys by way of Monster.com when they called me seeking to fill a Technician/Analyst position.  I worked as a technician for two and half months performing a wide range of services from replacing printer ink cartridges to building and installing desktop workstations.  Not a very glorious position, but it paid the bills in this s-l-o-w economy.  About the beginning of October I was approached as to whether I would be interested in a possible Web Developer position… of course I said yes.

As a Web Developer, my functional responsibilities are to develop and maintain applications, interfaces, and database front-ends for use in Internet, Intranet, and Extranet sites.  In addition to the design aspect, my position also deals with human factors engineering, usability testing and end user support.

I am currently working with Active Server Pages, Cascading Style Sheets, VBScript, JavaScript, Dynamic and Static HTML, and SQL.  As I get more involved in certain projects I expect to also work with Java, C/C++, PERL, CGI, ADO, ActiveX, Visual Basic, and other types of media such as GIF, JPEG, MPEG, streaming audio/video, etc.

As to what the future holds for me, I’ll just have to wait and see how things unfold.  I am considering graduate school with a concentration in the area of security and encryption, data recovery, or maybe hardware architecture.  On the other hand, I am also considering a complete career change and pursuing culinary school.  In any event, I am extremely glad that I completed, and obtained, my Bachelors Degree in Computer Science and I thank all the professors and teachers for doing what they do.

I am currently employed by Enovia, a company specializing in the Digital Manufacturing realm.  I am currently working with Enovia’s client software, a NT and UNIX client to Enovia, Catia, and Delmia applications running on all flavors of UNIX (incl. Linux) and NT.

I absolutely love my job.  At my job, I am encouraged to further my education and pursue certification (currently studying for SCJP cert.)  Every day I learn something new and different.  Much credit should be given to the UNCA CS department for having the foresight to offer courses in Java.  Many of the other engineers here have had NO exposure to Java and I give credit to UNCA for putting me ‘ahead of the curve’ in that regard.

In the CS labs at UNCA, I was encouraged to hop around and try different things on different platforms – a familiarity which has served me well in developing here on HP, Sun, Irix, AIX and NT.   Kudos to Dr. Daugherty, too, for offering courses in UML and Object Technology.

I would like to encourage CS students to try many different things during their education.  Make sure you have a solid foundation of algorithms and data structures  - for only then can you build on that and expand into greater things.  Don’t worry about learning the ‘flavor of the month’.  My education at UNCA has a breadth not matched by other developers in my field.

CS students and soon-to-be grads are encouraged to contact me with any questions.

(Updated 5/1/2001)
I am a Consultant with the Cincinnati, OH branch of Software Architects, Inc.Our company is a leading IT solution provider to Fortune 500 clients, specializing in e-commerce and internet applications.  My projects have included C/C++ development on Unix platforms, as well as Java development on Win32 platforms.  I am currently the Lead Developer on a 3 member team developing a pilot/proof-of-concept application for Gap Inc., the famous international clothing retailer.

I enjoy consulting due to the variety of roles and technologies with which I gain exposure.  For example, over the last year, I have performed development, project management, and training/education roles for my client, as well as for Software Architects, Inc.   I am encouraged by my company to seek professional certifications, from vendors such as Microsoft, Sun Microsystems, and IBM, so that I may keep abreast of the latest industry trends and concepts.   These certifications are crucial to my marketability as a consultant. I'm starting a new project at General Electric Aircraft Engines (GEAE) working with Java 2 Enterprise technology in a BEA WebLogic application server. Very exciting technologies! This is a big project (18+  team members) and I am serving as one of 3 Architects/Designers developing common business objects. This is a great learning opportunity for me.

When considering the value of my education at UNCA, three points come to mind. First, never underestimate the value of the communication skills, both written and verbal, that are developed through the Liberal Arts curriculum at UNCA.   I rank these skills at least equal to my technical skills in terms of benefit. Second, as a graduate of the Computer Systems track in the Computer Science degree,  the hands-on nature of my class work has given me confidence around a variety of hardware systems.  Lab experiences, exercises, and  demonstrations were critical and reinforced my courses' lecture material.   Finally, it's important to realize that the broad exposure to various languages and technologies during your degree work is far more valuable than specialization in one particular technology.  I recall my concern upon graduation that I hadn't become a Java or Unix guru-- it's quite understandable to feel this way upon entering the fast-moving IT field.  However, my familiarity with general language fundamentals and computing theory-- the core of my UNCA degree program-- have been vastly more useful to me in my workday.   Specialization and expertise must be built upon conceptual knowledge. I am glad to speak with any upcoming graduates about work life in the IT field. Just drop me an email at rbatsel@sark.com.

(Updated 10/2000)
I'm still working for Personic Software in San Francisco, CA. The Bay Area is fun but boy is it expensive to live here. I currently have multiple functions here at Personic. I am the Web Master for http://www.personic.com . I worked on the site from the ground up with Marketing along with an external design firm. I currently do system admin, page development and content management coding with a Cold Fusion based tool called Spectra. I've also developed 2 internal web based applications writing my own server extensions: one for asset tracking and another that integrates leads captured on the web site with our sales automation tool. I also manage a couple of other out of the box web apps we use. I am the go to guy for support on web based issues involving IIS and NT and analysis of Web products we may buy. I also do System admin for a our Client/Server finance apps. Whew! Sounds like a lot but the work load fluctuates. I get to work at home one day a week on a direct DSL line to the corporate network done with a hardware based VPN.

I've learned a great deal on the Job and on my own time, but UNCA gave me a great background. Tell your students to pick a senior project that really interests them and it can help a lot.  It was a great experience for me as I learned a great deal about application architecture.

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Royce Holden  IT Manager Asheville Regional Airport Authority 708 Airport Road Fletcher, NC 28732 828.684.2226 ext. 3240 (office) rholden@flyavl.com

(Updated January 2007)
After 4 years of working with the Buncombe County School system in their IT Department, I am in my 4th year as IT Manager for the Asheville Regional Airport, it's a great job.  My wife and I have a new son, Kian James Holden, 4 months old!

(updated 6/2000)
Brent was initially with Avitek Corp. in Boulder, CO, but  since Avitek was bought out by BEA he transferred to the Raleigh, NC office in July of 2000.
We are hiring people like crazy and I thought you may be able to get some resumes flowing my way. We are in desperate need of people and aren't having much luck finding Java developers. If you know anyone
with Java and/or OO skills that would want to come work in Raleigh with a pretty good company let me know. I will be glad to help anyone that wants help.

 I am the primary support person for the Payroll/Personnel Department at the Herald-Sun newspaper. I am also working with the New Media manager to develop products for the web site.

 Among other projects, the New Media manager and I are also formulating a long-term plan for reassigning Adseek, the Herald-Sun's online classified site. Adseek 2 is an intimidating but exciting project that demands I use many of the software development and project management techniques we talked about in classes at UNCA. Also, I am backup Circulation support, which currently runs COBOL applications on an HP 3000 mini-computer. I only foresee myself writing a few Circulation programs, if any at all. I don't mind exposure to the legacy system though.

 Sometimes I think I'm the biggest believer out there in the system analysis methods taught at UNCA. I've been writing project plans, problem specifications, and other formal documents often, and have been taking projects through a structured development process. I've also involved users as much as possible. The users really seem to appreciate seeing their problem on paper... it shows that their problem is understood and being given attention, which they might not always realize if the MIS department becomes known for mostly 'putting out fires'. All of these ideas come directly from the upper-level system analysis classes I took at UNCA.

 Overall, the mix of technical and people-oriented computer classes fit me very well. I really appreciate the faculty's drive to keep the department focused on the foundations of computer science, allowing students to choose where we want to take those foundations.

 I am involved in systems design and implementation. I mainly work with Visiting Health Professionals (VHP) which is a founding partner of CCP. I have worked on projects such as Home Health and Auxiliary Scheduling, and Home Health and Auxiliary Billing. I also do various other small projects such as program changes and additions for Payroll, Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable. Because I am usually VHP's primary contact person, I maintain UNIX accounts and do various other UNIX administration.

 What I like most about what I do is being able to meet a customer's needs and trying to make their day-to-day jobs easier. Also, it seems that in our department if it can be dreamed of, we can try to make it happen. For example, another UNCA CSci grad, Janet, and I are working on a package for VHP that will allow the visiting nurses to collect answers to mandatory questions using a hand-held PC. The hand-held PC's will then be brought back into the office and docked. Janet is coding in Visual Basic for CE and together we are trying to create a process that will work hand in hand with VHP's current systems.

 I think that my experiences at UNCA properly prepared my for my job. When I look back I think about the communication and documentation skills that I acquired. They have been quite helpful to me. I also remember many of my group project experiences (that maybe weren't always pleasant) and thinking that they would NOT occur in the real world. Well, now I know that they can and often times DO!

 I just began my job and I love it. Right now I am in training. I will be writing software enhancements for cash registers. The people that I work with are very helpful and very nice. I am in the process of going through formal training, which is nice! They are not just throwing us into the fire.

 I think that the Computer Science program at UNCA is wonderful. I am currently working with other recent grads from other universities that have not been exposed to as many things as I had at UNCA. The professors at UNCA also care about the students as individuals and help them to succeed in what ever they are trying to achieve!

Updated (10/4/2000)
Things are streaming along... I'm the technical lead for a dozen member project. that utilizes BEA's Weblogic Enterprise and Server. It's a completely OO project built using XP (eXtreme Programming) techniques. We are building a Java CORBA front end server that accesses the workflow EJBs that access legacy information via a C++ CORBA server. We are using the delegate" design pattern in order to have CORBA talk to EJBs (not currently supported, but Sun has a paper out). BoldTech is hiring like mad and they have a special place in their recruiting heart for UNC-A so send the resumes my way.

 I work for Jobscope Corporation, in Greenville, SC, which builds, distributes, and implements manufacturing and accounting software for over 200 companies in 12 different countries.

 My position with Jobscope has several capacities, the first of which is Visual Basic programming. We have developed our software packages in several other languages in recent years, including Delphi, Speedware, and Visual Speedware, and we are now in the process of updating and rejuvenating these packages into Visual Basic to make the user-side more efficient, as well as optimizing the programs for database and network interaction. My position, concerning Visual Basic, allows me the opportunity to translate code from previous versions of the software, revise their GUI's and documentation for re-implementation in VB, and to design programs that assist the senior programmer in our division in his tasks, such as registry and systems settings programs.

 I am also fortunate enough to be working with our marketing division, which affords me the luxury of designing and enhancing graphics and images for our company. I also assist in the design and manipulation of much of our advertisement materials, as well as providing assistance to our customers concerning problems with one of our software products that focuses on engineering design and demands for our customers' products.

 Our company produces software for use on several systems, including Windows 3.1, 95, Windows NT, AS400 and various HP models, so I have had an opportunity to work with several new platforms and interfaces. I am learning a great deal, and each day I am gaining a better understanding of how a computer system works, whether it involves hardware, software, networking, or interactivity with multiple users.

 My experience at UNCA has provided me with many skills that I use on a regular basis, most importantly one that helps me every day: at UNCA, I learned how to effectively learn. By this I mean that I was taught how to approach a new language, or a programming objective, not with worry of "can I do this?", but "how can I do this?" I learned to break a task down into components that I know I can handle, ask for assistance about anything that I don't understand, and to stick with it until I get it finished.

 The variety of subjects that the UNCA Computer Science program covers is extremely beneficial to me in my profession, and that diversity is, I believe, the key to making it in this ever changing industry--you have to be able to pick up on new ideas, concepts, and products with good understanding and efficiency, or you'll be left behind.

 I am also very fortunate to be working with an office full of wonderful people, and to live in a beautiful town like Greenville, SC.

 I would like to say thank you to all of the professors at UNCA, especially those in the CSCI department, for doing your job with dignity and pride. You could have made it easy on us--given us the hard parts of the program and made us write the rest, but you forced us to think for ourselves, use our own skills, and solve our own problems. You knew that we would only benefit if we reached our goals on our own, and you helped us do that. Thank you.

 While a student, I worked part-time in the MIS Department of Community Care Partners (CCP), an organization of several Asheville, NC health-care agencies. During this period of time, I primarily worked on designing databases using Microsoft Access 97. Since graduation, I have contracted with CCP to continue development of a Human Resources database which will unite human resources data from all components of the organization into one system. This gives me the opportunity to apply my knowledge of information management gained at UNCA and of human resources management gained through previous education and experience.

 CCP is also considering marketing a database product which I developed. I am continuing to work on enhancements for this system and hope to be involved with all phases of producing and marketing it.

 I love what I am doing. The MIS staff at CCP is very dynamic and creative. My experiences at CCP have given me a rare opportunity to participate in the emergence of a consolidated system from several disparate systems and to gain an understanding of the complexities involved in such a venture.

 In addition to consulting, this fall I will be an adjunct professor at Mars Hill College, where I will teach a database management course. I also plan to explore other contract opportunities for database development and technical writing.

 UNCA's Computer Science Department provided excellent preparation for moving into professional work in information management. The course requirements and electives gave me a sound technical background with a broad knowledge of many aspects of the field. The emphasis on skills needed to work with system users and on presentations is proving to be invaluable. Particularly important was the accessibility of each of the professors in the Computer Science Department at UNCA. Their openness made my total experience at UNCA far more valuable than just the classroom experience, as excellent as that was. I am very grateful for the opportunities provided by UNCA and the Computer Science faculty.

 Currently, I'm receiving a University Graduate Fellowship which pays my tuition + a stipend for my first year so I have freedom to investigate the department's ongoing research.

 Starting this summer, I will be a Research Assistant for the "Commonwealth Server Project" (http://www.cs.bu.edu/groups/cwealth), investigating issues surrounding building a distributed web server with the desirable qualities of reliability, redundancy, high utilization and throughput, and utilizing existing off-the-counter physical hardware in conjunction with novel and mainstream software components. My personal project at present can be described on two levels... at the higher level, I am developing a POSIX-threaded web server that will allow us to investigate application-protocol-level queuing, request collection, and related issues. Within the context of that project, I'm developing a module that implements a statistics-gathering HTTP proxy; this proxy version of the server will be used in all the computer science labs to help us gather statistics about real patterns of WWW utilization and viewing patterns. (The project is now almost in good working order; I know better than to call it "finished", as we all know software is *never* finished...)

 About half of the department is focused on systems and applications, and this allows a lot of room for people like myself who are fundamentally hackers rather than theorists. What's more, research group meetings are always rewarding, because the theory-oriented and implementation-oriented members of the group are constantly bumping heads and keeping each other in check. Even then, the networking topics we're covering are far from canonical, so there's plenty of room within those camps for disagreement.

 I cannot overstate the value of the liberal arts education I received at UNCA; in a field as dynamic and rapidly changing as computer science, it is vital that we have an understanding not only of the main principles of our own field, but of the principles governing the world that we interact with; if we truly are entering into an "information age", then we must be aware of the cultural and civil forces shaping our technology, but also of the social ramifications of implementing the technologies we study and develop.

 The Computer Systems track did an excellent job preparing me for my graduate work. The department's top-notch computer resources afforded an excellent environment in which to explore current fields in systems and programming, and the faculty were consistently available and willing to offer technical and theoretical assistance. Classes offered an excellent balance between current applications and issues and the theory and concepts underlying them, but didn't demand so much time as to preclude personal in-depth exploration of those topics.

 I'm particularly thankful for the willingness of the faculty to encourage my explorations (and exploits), and their ability to point me towards rich sources of information rather than just giving flat answers to specific problems.

Updated (3/16/2004)
Just wanted to give you an update since my alumni entry is a bit outdated.  I moved on from Charlotte, NC (and Bank of America) to Seattle, WA and Classmates Online.  I'm a Software Architect in an exciting and dynamic online company providing technical guidance and strategy for our IT department.  In my role I get the opportunity to mentor junior developers, research technology for company use, and set technical direction for the company.

I've been lucky to survive, and thrive, during the dot-boom and dot-bust.  My IT career has progressed nicely, from an entry level developer to a software engineer, and now to a software architect.  Now I'm preparing to head back to school (in the evening) and pursue an MBA from the University of Washington.  A career in IT is tough and one must challenge themselves to keep learning.  You just can't afford to plateau or stagnate in this field!

UNCA really helped prepare me for the challenges I've faced in the real world.  The relevancy of the coursework and the personal attention from the staff gave me an advantage over IT students from other programs.  I'm very proud to have been a part of the CS program at UNCA!  Take care and hope to hear from you soon.  Keep up the great work with the next batch of CS grads.  Tell them to keep focused and stay committed to the software engineering discipline.  There will always be work out there for those that are truly passionate about technology.

Previous update for Brian
Software Engineer
NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC
 I am currently working on financial trading applications and analytical tools for market traders. I get the opportunity to work with the latest technology and develop products that will be used enterprise wide. NationsBank gives all their developers a creative environment to work in and all the support needed (through mentoring, training, etc) to really grow your career. Not only am I growing from a technology standpoint (working with Java, CORBA, enterprise framework products) but I am given the opportunity to learn the business aspect of the company.

 What I learned at UNCA definitely helped prepare me for my work in the industry. The lectures (sometimes endless), projects, and especially, the senior project, were worthwhile and invaluable to my personal and professional growth. UNCA is somewhat unique in the fact that they prep people who not only have the tech skills, but can see the big picture in an organization. Without my having been exposed to the skills like project management and system analysis & design, I wouldn't be where I am today. These are what lands you the job and gets your career moving!!! Our IS department looks for those with a business background, who are presentable, and are willing to focus on the bottom line/customer needs instead of people that hide in a lab and munge code all day.

 If there are any UNCA CSci grads which are: 1) product focused (someone interested in seeing their work implemented) and, 2) interested in the financial sector - send them my way!!! This is just a great opportunity. He/she would be coming in on the ground floor of an 5-year major enterprise project using Java/CORBA/C++ and would not only start a great career path with learning cool technology, but would get to learn the financial business side of things as well.

 I currently am working in an MIS dept. of four people. This gives me the opportunity to work and learn about many different aspects of MIS instead of working in one specialized area. I am responsible for analysis, design, and implementation of any new projects as well as maintenance of existing programs. Most every project is analyzed as a team but programmed by one individual. My job also includes troubleshooting hardware related problems such as PC's and terminals. We have a department beeper that is passed back and forth each week so that nobody is always on call. Programming involves areas such as accounting, sales, time clock, art dept., inventory and most importantly the specs on products and orders.

 I like working for a small MIS dept because I am involved in almost every project that we take on. I like being able to work one on one with users to get what they need. I like being able to do many other things besides just programming. Because I am in a small department, I work on many different projects or problems that occur through the week so I do not get bored with one project. As mentioned above, we are responsible for many different departments so the work is constantly changing.

 I feel that UNCA helped me become a more independent person. I got the background that really fits well with my job. This enables me to understand issues and make educated decisions based partly on the knowledge I received during college.

 I work for a company that franchises Internet service to independent telephone companies. I design and construct web sites for a variety of business customers ranging from Christian fundamentalist publishers, to video gambling machine sellers, from realtors, to manufacturing companies. I write CGI, Java, etc. as necessary to enhance the sites I develop. I set up web sites from start to finish, including working with InterNIC on domain names, setting up virtual servers and e-mail, uploading, modifying and troubleshooting sites, and tearing the entire edifice down if a customer leaves us. I develop logos and do most of my own graphics work. I developed, implemented and maintain Info Avenue's web customer database and billing. I do training and consulting both in and out of house, and enough customer service and support to make me want to hide under my desk at times.

Although the job offers the variety and creativity I was hoping for when I took it, it is also very high stress as there is never enough time to properly accomplish everything. This is largely due to the fact that Info Avenue is growing too fast to keep up with itself and is chronically short staffed. I am seriously considering girding my loins and going out to find myself a hard core nerd job rather than continuing to indulge my desire for a job which will allow me to be artistically creative -- if I can only cut back from these 10 to 12 hours work days so I'll have the time to do it. The fact that the pay for such jobs is substantially higher is added incentive.

 While I have applied some things learned at UNCA to my work (though no one can convince me that calculus will ever be of any use in the "real world"), the benefit of being exposed to a variety of topics in computer science, and the learning how to learn has been of greater help. A job seldom confines itself to the duties listed in the "job description", and technology is rapidly and constantly evolving. A solid base in computer concepts and the flexibility to learn and change helps much more than knowing the minutia of the latest release of WindowsNT or C++. I think UNCA, with its emphasis on a broad liberal arts background as well as the hard science provides the base and the flexibility to build upon.

 I do a little bit of everything!!! I recently developed a scheduling system for the inpatient portion of the hospital using Microsoft Access and VBA. In addition to creating systems, I also do network administration, troubleshooting of hardware and software, and a multitude of things to support the user.

 I love interacting with users (most of the time). We are in the process of migrating from Windows 3.1 on a Novell network to Windows NT. And most of the users have no idea what 3.1 can do for them, let alone Windows NT. I love to show them something that their computer can do to make their job easier. I also enjoy solving the puzzles that arise everyday. I enjoy sitting down to a machine that has a glitch and racking my brain trying everything I can think of to find the answer to it's problems, because I have learned that nothing is as cut and dry as one would hope it would be.

 Although there are some days that I wonder what I'm doing in this field, I am truly thankful to the faculty of UNCA for giving me the ability to reason through my problems and know when I have found the answer that will make at least one user happy for at least a few minutes (until the next problem arises). I enjoy the challenge of my job, and knowing that no matter how much I learn, I will never stop finding things that challenge me.

 I work on the Data Warehouse team at Belk. This operation involves basically everything from mainframe to PC. We work in a three tier environment. At the front end we use a OLAP tool to generate SQL in GUI environment. Our data comes from a number of enterprise systems used here. Every night this data is downloaded from mainframe to DB2/PE for use in the data warehouse. We then selectively (parallel) process this raw data on AIX. Several reports are generated based on this data. These are made available every morning to various departments and vendors for sales analysis and decision making. These reports include sales data all the way the previous night's store closing. I am also responsible for developing and supporting Lotus Domino Server based applications using Lotus Notes groupware. This involves some Java and LotusScript.

 I like everything about my work. It has been such a great learning opportunity. All members of my team are cross trained in all the areas of this operation. As a result of this, in data warehouse operation alone I get to work with a number of disparate things like UNIX shell script, AIX, OLAP Tool (DSS Agent), mainframe (which in my opinion is not going anywhere), development in three tier environment, parallel processing, DB2/PE (soon to be replaced by UDB) etc.

 I highly value everything I learned at UNCA. The computer science classes at UNCA gave me a good starting point in my career. The liberal education at UNCA truly enriched my life and I am very thankful to the professors who delivered this with such a great devotion. Attending UNCA has been a wonderful experience.

 When I first started working with the Buncombe County Information Technology Dept. I was a part-time employee. My duties included a little of everything. I installed networks, upgraded PC's, troubleshot, and some operations activities like backups, restores, etc. I did this for a little over a year. Then in November of 1997, I was promoted to a full-time programmer/analyst. My duties include maintaining and designing new programs for the RealEstate Valuation Dept. of Buncombe County. Most of these programs are written in COBOL; others are written in a program called Mantis which is mainly a screen generator.

 I am enjoying my job very much and I am very glad that I chose UNCA's Computer Science major. At the time I was taking all of these classes I thought that I was going to go crazy, but it has all paid off. Thank you very much.

(Updated 10/13/2004
 I have been working at Smiths-Aerospace for around 7 years now. My title is IT Specialist which means I do a little of everything. We just finished our ERP implementation where we went from a 1980's vintage system to a ERP system that just came out in 2004 (Syteline 7). My main responsibility for the project was data conversion.

 My job involves analyzing client code for potential Year 2000 problems and making any necessary fixes to make the clients code Year 2000 compliant. Most of my work involves mainframe COBOL applications, so I spend my days looking through millions of lines of code. It has been an interesting job. The best thing I like about the job is getting to see the hundreds of different ways programmers have used the date over the past two or three decades. Most of the applications I have fixed were written in the late 1970's to early 1980's. Not all of the applications have been written in English. Some have been written in Dutch, Swedish, and French - it makes for interesting reading, not to mention a headache. I also do some research and development work. I have written several programs for the detection of Year 2000 problems. I think the skills I obtained at UNCA have been very helpful in performing my job. The degree adequately prepared me for some of the disasters that are sure to come.

 I combine my company's market-leading digital audio engine with MIDI functionality for third-party developers. I get to create lots of cool code and teach other developers about new features that our company develops.

 I constantly stay on the cutting edge of the Digital Audio Workstation industry and am behind-the-scenes, helping shape the direction of digital audio. I get to see the results of my efforts in new features in shipping products, trade journals, and conventions. I work collaboratively with developers all over the globe in the leading companies in audio to improve their products. I also get the benefit of a full recording studio on my desk to create and manipulate my own compositions.

 My latest professional interests have taken me to Nashville, TN, where I have jumped into a small engineering department, helping make computer- controlled audio equipment for the music and film industries. Being in such a small department has allowed me to advance to a real programming position, making real changes to shipping code, and seeing the results immediately on huge audio console systems. I work one-on-one with customers, tweaking functionality until they are happy. Since we are not limited to standard desktop computers and mainstream operating systems, I have been exposed to some pretty cool stuff.

UNCA gave me the freedom and knowledge to combine audio and computer science into an education that is in high demand within a specialized field that I am totally interested and immersed in. I was encouraged to go as far as I wanted to with my talents and education.

 I am a Teaching Assistant, besides taking classes. I lecture twice a week 2 sections of CpSc 120 (Essentials of Computer Science) - 90 students in each section. That gives me this [false] feeling of importance. So as I lecture, I make jokes about everything I can (including myself). Seriously though, I do make jokes but just to make the material more interesting for the students [who don't want to be there in the first place].

 Besides trying to be funny, I get to talk about stuff that I like - computers. So I like teaching and wouldn't mind doing it at some point in my life. Besides being a TA, I also [pretend to] do research, hopefully towards a master's paper. My research is in Operating Systems, something with virtual memory to be more precise. I get to hack the Linux kernel on a daily basis; Who, just who wouldn't love that?? Plus, I get to do all this in the town of 90/90: 90 deg. temperature, 90% humidity!

 UNCA has the nicest CSci department. Being from a different country, that sure was very important to me.

 I give pre-sales technical support for all of Sun's products (hardware and software) to a variety of customers. I primarily work with the State Government.

 I really enjoy being around the leading edge technology that Sun produces. I have probably become spoiled when it comes to new hardware and software. I also like the variety in my job, it's not the same old work day in and day out. I may work on several different projects in a couple of days, or I may work on the same thing for a week straight. I especially like working for Sun as a company. The corporate culture follows a "work hard play hard" type creed. Scott McNealy, Sun's CEO, has said time and time again "kick butt, and have fun." Sun takes good care of it's employees and makes sure that everyone follows Scott's motto.

 I wouldn't have this job if not for UNCA. UNCA CSci gave me a huge background on which to build almost any computer related career. It has certainly helped me here at Sun, not just technically but mentally. UNCA's "small school" atmosphere promotes close interaction with students and faculty, as well as working with other people in teams or groups. I have found that, in particular, to be very helpful in the transition from school to a work environment. In general, UNCA and UNCA's CSci department was a key component in my career now, and my career growth in the future.

(Updated February 2002)
I am employed by the corporate office of the nations leading distributor of books and magazines, Anderson News Company. The corporate office is located in Knoxville, TN and we have approximately 50 distribution centers all over the US. My title is programmer/analyst, which is a catch all title for "a little of everything". Mainly, I am involved in analysis, design, programming, and support. I enjoy my job because no two days are the same. By maintaining an in-house system, which is used by 50 distribution centers, there is always work to do. I gain satisfaction from my job through writing applications that help others be better at their jobs. Although user-support can sometimes be irritating, it's a good feeling when you are able to help someone.

The MIS department at Anderson News had never hired anyone right out of college; I was the first. I had just graduated a month before I took this job, and I will admit that I really didn't know how well I was prepared for this job. From reviews and evaluations, I can tell that they are pleased with my work -- thanks be to the CSci department at UNCA. Along with my technical skills, I'm always being complimented at work on how well I speak in front of groups of people, thanks the work I did preparing to present my research work at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research and the many other CSci classes that forced me to speak in front of people (when you would rather not). I value my education that I received while attending UNCA.

(Updated October, 2004)
 After 8.5 years in Silicon Valley with Sun Microsystems,. .I'm back in the Asheville area again

(Updated 4/16/2001)
I'm still living in the San Franciso and just returned from a 6 month  tour of South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand.    Before that I'd spent 2 years building Web banking software for a company called 1fb.net . Before that I spent 2 years building network faxing software for The Bristol Group. The demand for programmers and software engineers has dropped off a bit out here. Suddenly a B.S. in Computer Science actually means something to employers. People with Java/XML experience are still in high demand and those with a few years of experience aren't having trouble finding jobs.

(Updated  11/1/1999)
http://www.blackvan.net/kenandmagali/house.html
We (Magali, my wife and I) just bought a house across the bay from San Francisco and are working in the frenzied world of the Web world.  I'm working as a Java programmer and Magali is working as a front-end web developer.

Tell your students that Industry out here is simply DYING for programmers and salaries are continuing soar toward the heavens.  Average programmers can make 90K+ and really good programmers (I don't know any personally) are making astronomical $$$.  As if that weren't enough there are a lot of interesting companies doing interesting things (Linux application development and voice over IP are some examples). Object Oriented Design (UML in particular), Java (backend, NOT applets), and Unix (Solaris and Linux) skills are like gold out here. Will it last?  I sure hope so.
 

Earlier Message The company that I work for develops network faxing software. 99 percent of our customers are big companies who send and/or receive 1,000+ faxes per day. Our software is client/server, RPC based and we support the SunOs, Solaris, IBM, HP and NT platforms.

 I do all of the things associated with making software and getting it out the door. This includes design, coding, debugging, testing, doing releases, etc. I work almost exclusively in the Solaris environment (yayyy!!) but sometimes work in NT environment (yuck). My favorite part of my job is the actual coding. My least favorite part of the job is dealing with the customers but luckily I rarely have to do that (that's what Technical Support is for).

 UNCA helped me in that it provided me with almost 24 hour access to a network of computers and the internet. This "computer playland" made me realize how much fun computers can be and gave me the opportunity to experiment and learn what I wanted to at my leisure. I really appreciated the flexibility of the C.S. department. The C.S. department always seemed to be responsive to the personal needs of each student which really made it stand out from the rest of the departments at UNCA. I also really enjoyed those nutty Humanities teachers.

 I was hired right after graduation at Visiting Health Professionals, where I was writing code in Informix-4GL to support the development of a new payroll system, and doing some UNIX system support. When we merged with Thoms, The Summit, Green Tree Ridge, Mountain Area Hospice, etc. to become CCP, my job became much more complex. We now work in a multifaceted environment, with WinNT, Win 3.1, DOS, and UNIX stations, with TCP-IP and Novell networks extending to ten locations in WNC, and have many different software packages to support. We are starting to explore the possibilities that Web technologies could help us to tie all this mess together. Meanwhile, I have become the Southeastern United States expert in the ASET programming language (which shows you the stunningly underwhelming popularity of the language). Before I got here, to get a system change in the hospital scheduling and patient data system, you had to go back to the vendor and request custom modifications. Now I work with the vendor to build new reports and customizations in the software. Working here is constantly solving puzzles. There are so many different things going on, my analytic abilities are constantly tested. We have a great team cobbled together from the different organizations, and we have been tremendously helped by the Internship program my boss, Russ Taylor, put together with Mary Lynn Manns at UNCA.

 Believe it or not, I miss being at UNCA. The computer industry is moving so fast that you have to remain in learning mode. It would be nice to be able to afford the time to take classes, although the homework I could do without!

Reid Jackson
jacksonrg@gateway.ce.utk.edu
(updated 1997)
 I wanted to thank the CSCI faculty for helping me get started.  The skills that you helped me to develop have served me well.  To give you a quick update, I worked as a systems analyst for the last two and a half years at Pilot Corporation in Knoxville, Tennessee.  I was able to help them to implement several projects.  I worked mainly in analysis of their current systems and implementing projects.  I am currently getting my MBA at the University of Tennessee and working (as a GA) for the school's Physician's Executive MBA program.  The work I do for the PEMBA program involves helping them with their distance learning classes, evaluating software, and other miscellaneous jobs.

(updated 3/28/2003)
After graduating in August 1995, I worked at Jobscope Corp. in Greenville, SC for 3 years as an application specialist.  This position included programming, testing, documentation, analysis and design in the Greenville office, as well as training and implementation at the customer sites.  In 1999 I went to work for Raytheon Systems Company in Lexington, KY with the stated goal being to consolidate their 3 hardware platforms, 5 independent software systems and numerous levels of user interface into one more cohesive system.

After completing this task, I worked as a carpenter and foreman in the Hendersonville, NC custom home cunstruction market.  In 2001, God started working through His sense of humor to bring me back into the US army as a combat medic on September 10th.  I am now stationed in Vilseck Germany.

 Most of my time is spent at the customer's site. My job requires 85% of my time traveling. I liked it at first but it gets old very quickly, especially weeks after weeks of travel for 8 months. But I get to see a lot of different places that I want to see, although some places are very boring. Besides traveling, I do consulting type of work. I get involved in the complete life cycle of a project. I and 14 other IBMers from different IBM sites recently designed a payroll system for McDonald's in Chicago (you might guess that I am very sick of McDonald's food). I do most everything from high level requirement gathering to designing, coding, testing, implementation, and quality assurance (QA). I've been coding mostly in C/C++ and using Oracle Database.

 This job is very high stress (they put me on a leash 24hrs). However, I can turn my pager off after I get off work, as I walk out to the car. We don't take turns carrying pagers, but it gives me an opportunity to learn how to interact with customers (although they are a pain most of the time). I enjoy the challenges in building relationships with customers and giving them advice on how I think things would be beneficial to them as well as to us. There are a lot of opportunities to grow and new challenges to take in the 'real world'. I have to keep myself up to date by reading some of the technical magazines. IBM has a lot of opportunity for me to grown and learn different things and to build my confidence.

 UNCA is a great place to attend, especially the CSci department. I like that fact the I was able to browse on the internet, and watch other students play pranks on other professors (*you know who you are* *grin*). I also like that it's a small school and I could get one-on-one help/discussion with my professors about my studies. The professors there were very helpful. The senior project also helped me a great deal in preparing for my 'real job' in the 'real world'. It helped me learn how to interact with the users and solve complex problems and how to make the users happy. It also gave me experience in how the life cycle of a project works.

 I work for Administrative Computing Services at the UNCA Computer Center. My main responsibilities include analytical and programming support for UNCA's Student Information System (SIS) with special emphasis on web applications, the admissions module, and several side systems that have been developed at UNCA. I also provide support, consultation and troubleshooting for SIS users and serve as campus webmaster.

 I like the fact that something different is always going on, whether that be system upgrades, or user questions that I have to figure out. I enjoy the challenge of working directly with users in educating them and answering their questions. I also enjoy working in an educational environment such as UNCA (really!) because I'm always in an atmosphere of learning.

 The most significant thing that going through the UNCA CSCI program taught me was probably the fact that I had to learn how to always learn. Since this field changes so quickly, you have to always work at not "falling behind the times".

(Updated 5/16/2002)
I've been working the past few years at a contract engineering company in Raleigh called Plexus. I mostly write embedded software applications, which are occasionally very interesting. My most interesting project so far has been working on a controller for a machine that tests the quality of glass bottles in bottle manufacturing plants. The OS was VxWorks and it had 11 PowerPCs crunching numbers and coordinating tests results from image data that was being accumulated on the fly. The tests could find sharp edges, thin walls, impurities in the glass, etc. And to make it interesting, it had to average 1 bottle every 200ms. It was fun.

 Last fall I decided to go back to school. Now I'm attending Clemson for a Masters in CS.

 This field is so broad, and the market is so needy that I'm enjoying trying different things right now. I really enjoyed the embedded programming. Now, while in school, I'm doing some Access programming and Web page development as part-time work. I'm also trying to learn more about Unix and system administration stuff.

 CS jobs seem to have good work environments. People (managers) generally appreciate CS people (since they are hard to come by) and that encourages them to treat CS people well and try to keep them. Of the places I've worked, I usually was given a project to do and then left to my own devices to schedule and complete the task. This arrangement may not be appealing to everyone, but I really prefer it.

 My favorite thing about UNCA was that the student:teacher ratio was small enough that I could get one-on-one help from any of my professors. The friendly open-door atmosphere of the CS department really facilitated learning.

 As a Product Manager, my primary focus is the success of various data warehouse products and consulting services for the Data Warehousing division of PLATINUM technology, inc. Therefore, I am involved with the marketing, business development, software development, technical support, and the consulting services provided for various products within the division. My position also requires that I develop strategies for integrating data warehousing products with other PLATINUM software and other third-party software products.

 The position allows me to be an integral part of the entire software development life cycle. I also have the opportunity to "get my hands dirty" and write my own software applications for use with our products. I particularly enjoy the external communication with third-party software vendors, and building new relationships with existing and potential customers. Finally, my position allows me the freedom to make decisions, and I feel personally responsible for the success of the software which I manage.

 Many times during my university education, I felt as if much of the course material was not relevant to what I might be doing when I graduated. However, I have discovered that I have had the opportunity to apply almost every computer science course I had taken while attending UNCA. I still refer to many of the text books required for my computer science classes. The personal attention given to me during my studies by each of the professors in the Computer Science department has shaped me into the person I am today.

Sai (Michelle) Ma Princess Sai of Tikal Felsenstrasse 4 8808 Pfaeffikon,  Switzerland sai.ma@avaloq.com saimama@gmail.com

 (Updated 4/22/2005)
I have completed my studies at the London School of Economics and graduated with distinction. My thesis was in source code and enterprise systems and I was trying to find out whether source code availability makes a difference to software-using organisations.  I have some job offers from UBS (United Bank of Switzerland) in Zurich.  I am also thinking about applying for jobs at the UN or continuing with a PhD.

Right now I am in Bangladesh attending a wedding.  The wedding goes on for a whole week.  My friends there dressed me up in a sari and had me perform Indian dances with the other girls at the wedding events. It was fun.  I am leaving for India tomorrow and will stay there until the end of the year. It is time to reflect, read, and write.

(Updated 2/26/2003)
Sai (Michelle) will be leaving her Zurich company in June of 2003 to begin graduate studies in the London School of Economics

(Updated 10/15/2002)
It has been tough searching for a place in the real world where you must know what you want to achieve and what's the meaning of all that. Well, I have been traveling and searching for about five years. I am working for a software engineering firm in Zurich, Switzerland as the support manager and  struggling with my German. I am also writing a book about the interesting experiences during my travels.

I had three wishes when I was little:
1) living in different continents
2) traveling around the world
3) getting a PhD before 30 (oops, I guess this one is off the list now). I have been concentrating on the first two and now it's high time to move on to point 3. I am applying to two very interesting Master's programs at colleges within the University of London:

1. Computer-Human Interaction with Ergonomics at University London College.It is offered by the Department of Psychology and partly taught by the Computer Science Department. It is quite specialized and provides interesting research opportunities.

Enterprise in Information Systems at King's College. It is taught by the Computer Science Department. The skills seem very portable, which could be very important to people who feel restless settling down at one place.


---

 (Updated December 2007)
I'm still with SoftBase Systems, but have had several career changes along the way and am working mostly with mainframes and Linux servers now, doing everything from low-level coding to systems programming.  During my time at UNCA, the main thing that's stuck with me all these years was the UNIX experience I got in the CS program, and I have probably used UNIX or Linux every day since. An invaluable preparation. When I took the database course it was taught using Oracle on the UNIX boxes. SoftBase hired me almost entirely because I had "Oracle" on my resume.

(Updated late 1990's)
I work for a small company, SoftBase Systems, and do a lot of stuff! My main job is developing client/server products. My current project is a checkpoint/restart utility called Client/Server Checkpoint. It's currently written in C, but we're porting the checkpoint/restart paradigm to a new object oriented framework. We're going to implement it in Java and C++. Working in Java on a serious project was a lot of fun.

 My current work has two aspects I particularly like. First, I get a lot of experience in many different areas. For example, our company sells mainframe programming tools, and I've learned a lot about MVS in the years I've been here. I also get to evaluate and recommend my own development tools (since I'm the main client/server programmer here), so I get experience with a lot of new and cutting edge tools. Second, I work for a small company and wear many hats. I run the network, develop software, etc. It's not boring. There's always something interesting and fun. We're also a fast moving company which pounces on new opportunities. It's never the same old same old.

 In addition to my work at Softbase, I do a little web programming on the side for SK Web Construction. In return, they've given me some room to put up web pages on their server. I've put up just about everything I could think of at my site. Shareware and free programs, my Cyber Reviews book reviews, poems, artwork, music, you name it. It's a playground where I can be creative and really test the limits of what you can do on the web.

 I have also gotten an article published in the December 1997 issue of Windows Developer's Journal, fulfilling a lifelong dream of becoming a published author.

 What I liked most about UNCA was the unrestricted access to the UNIX workstations, the Internet, etc. For someone who enjoyed learning on his own, it was a perfect environment to explore things of interest. I don't know if any other school would have the same combination of a small, informal CS department with big-time equipment.

 Allowing me to do a lot of independent learning has helped me in my current job, too. That's all I do! Since I've graduated, I've had to learn one new technology after another: Delphi, Java, DB2 Universal Database, Windows NT, etc. I have to constantly try to stay on top of new technology. The single most important quality a computer professional can have is an unstoppable drive to learn as much as possible as quickly as possible.

 The importance of the humanities studies at UNCA for computer science majors can't be underestimated. The people who design our computers often have no appreciation of the human condition, and live in an insulated ivory tower (or machine room) out of touch with the impact technology has on human lives. Without an appreciation for what it means to be human and an understanding that it is our job as the people who are creating the future to make the human condition better, you will not have a direction for your career in computer science.

 My job is half support and half system integration. The support aspect is to maintain the PC-based computer systems that are used by the patient-care providers and administration of the health system. I trouble shoot software, upgrade PC hardware, and provide training for users. The systems integration part involves evaluating existing software packages and performing gap analysis, then configuring and installing the software packages after the purchase.

 Before joining Mission St. Joseph Hospital System, I spent almost four years employed with Cambridge Technology Partners, where I filled roles as Senior Developer and Technical Team Leader. I worked as a systems integration consultant that provided Strategic and Mission-Critical systems for Fortune-500 companies such as UPS, Hasbro, Carlson-Wagonlit Travel, and others. These systems typically were E-Commerce or customer support Call Center applications. My roles varied between projects, but the process was always the same: identify a "pain" area for the customer, propose a solution that will provide 80% of the benefits in 20% of the time. Then we would implement these systems in a very short tmieframe (6-20 weeks) using client resources as developers to empower them to maintain the system once we left. This was an exciting and high-powered but very stressful environment, so I decided to leave before I burned out.

 The UNCA experience prepared me for both of these very different positions by giving me a "ground up" knowledge of computers from the physics of semiconductors to advanced software construction concepts. This broad base of information provided by the staff at UNCA has allowed me to adapt to any situation I have been put in and has prepared me well for the workforce.

 I am part of a software development team working in both an Application Developer and Database Administrator role. Our team is responsible for creating, enhancing and maintaining a Windows-based decision support product, which is currently used in 12 financial institutions nationwide. My development work is primarily comprised of using Visual Basic, C++ and COBOL. My DBA responsibilities are maintaining 5 SQL Servers which run on NT Server, writing TSQL Scripts to manipulate data and schema, as well as implementing other administration related activities (i.e., recovery strategies, regular maintenance, hardware/software upgrades, etc.). We also provide client technical support for issues that our QA/Support group can not resolve.

 What I like about what I do:
- Client/Server Environments rule. Technology continues to change and the challenges keep coming.
- The fulfillment of seeing my efforts come to life in a production environment. (Banks actually use this stuff and depend upon it).
- Limited travel, but fun places when required.

 UNCA was a cool place to attend college. The professors are down to earth, approachable yet very intellectual. My experience with other universities in the N.C. public collegiate system did not possess this quality in the educational process. I personally found that being able to discuss topics and questions with my instructors on a more informal basis a very positive aspect. The CSCI department contains a broad variety of backgrounds which compliments the different areas of interests student have about the computer/software industry. Computer Center facilities and staff are an extremely valuable resource for students as they navigate their quest for a bachelors degree.

(Updated 1/11/2006)
* I graduated May '92 and was already working as a part-time programmer while a senior and expanded to full-time with WIS:DOM Information Systems, Inc., upon graduation. I received additional training in the IBM System/36 and AS/400 platforms there and gained experience in the public warehousing industry.
* After about a year at WIS:DOM, the NC operations were shut down and all the staff let go. I worked for a time in my own consulting business helping other small businesses with their sundry computer needs.
* I returned to the National Climatic Data Center (where I had worked while at UNCA as a Computer Operator) to be a Computer Tape Librarian while looking for work in systems analysis and programming. It was at this time in April 1994 that I married Dorvada Ponder, another UNCA graduate. Shortly afterward an opportunity opened up with the Orkand Corp., a contractor at the NCDC for a lead programmer/analyst to help NCDC inventory and bar code their 120,000 boxes of paper manuscript climate observation forms and to track their packing, shipment, and unpacking during NCDC's move from the Grove Arcade Bldg. to the new Veach-Baley Federal Climate Complex. It turns out to be providential that my brief stint with the public warehousing industry gave me the necessary background in bar coding, programming handheld scanning devices, and inventory shipment control. For RDBMS enthusiasts, I used MS FoxPro 2.5/2.6 to manage the core database for this project. (Visual FoxPro is still a great RDBMS, by the way, though you don't hear much about it. It does play well with Oracle, SQL Server and other RDBMS servers.)
* Due in part to the success of this project, other opportunities opened up to work with NEXRAD radar data, programming for graphics files of weather charts, technical writing for bids and proposals, etc.
* I am still at the NCDC with Global Science and Technology, Inc. another contracting firm specializing in science and IT contracts. Since 2000, I have been training and working as an Oracle database developer. I am currently working on a project to populate and tune a 2TB database in Oracle with an emerging global climate surface observations dataset. We currently have about 1.6 billion observations in this database. Again for RDBMS enthusiasts, size and efficient design DOES matter, so don't sleep during your database classes! ;-)

 I maintain the website for the National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC. I like what I do because it's at the forefront of what is happening in the world.

 I found UNCA to be an excellent education at a livable price. The course work was challenging but rewarding. The instructors were outstanding and the curriculum prepared me for the challenges I face today. I would recommend it to anyone.

 I do almost any and everything concerning computers:
a - hardware and network maintenance (Macs and PCs)
b - human resources for computer professionals
c - programming in FORTRAN and C++ on Macs and PCs (prefer Mac)
d - technical writing and desk top publishing
e - speak and lecture at seminars throughout the United States
f - expert witness for US government on expert systems designed to trade markets
g - author and co-author of several commercial applications
h - author and co-author of several articles published in trade journals and periodicals

 I like what I do because it is so diverse and challenging. When you work for a small company or for yourself you have to do everything - from the menial to the complex. One day you're putting stamps on letters; the next you're being interviewed by the Wall Street Journal. I don't think I would enjoy working in this industry as much if I worked for a large corporation.

 UNCA gave me a great well rounded inexpensive liberal arts education. I have to attribute a large portion of my professional success to this education. The Computer Science department at UNCA is one of the best. I left UNCA with a sound understanding of computers, hardware, and programming. The most beneficial courses for me were: Compiler Design and Discrete Math (I have developed a very large data parsing program utilizing finite state automata), FORTRAN and Pascal and C programming, computer architecture, and operating systems. When I first started working, I quickly discovered how important my computer science courses were. I utilized almost everything that I learned during the previous 4 years, from FORTRAN format statements to graph theory.

 Sonopress is converting its manufacturing systems to SAP with a project deadline of Jan. 1999. I am working on the Financial team, managing all the configuration, reporting and scripting for the AP, AR and GL areas. Other responsibilities include configuring and coding any/all EDI, timekeeping and current Financial software needs for Sonopress. Myself and a part-time contractor support our two AS/400's along with all the peripherals, including a 25 station Radio Frequency Network.

 There are two reasons UNC-A is fond to me.... 1) It gave me the opportunity to get an education in which I can support myself and 2) It gave me the opportunity to meet my husband!

 Nortel, founded by Alexander Graham Bell, is a leading manufacturer of telecommunications equipment. We design and build everything from the telephone to the giant terabit switches and 20 gigabit fiber optics transport systems.

 I work on a product called AccessNode. This device gathers the copper telephone loops from up to 20,000 individual telephone subscribers, digitizes the information on the loops (voice and data), and places that digital data on a optical fiber back to telephone switch for routing to its destination. I manage four groups of software designers. My groups specialize in an area of telecommunications called Operation, Administration, Maintenance, and Provisioning (OAM). OAM is the set of functions a telephone craftsperson does to maintain the telephone system. My team builds the tools and systems to monitor and maintain the AccessNode.

 I like working with bleeding edge technology. I like being in the position of defining the next generation (generation after next actually) of technology. We are literally designing the third generation internet! But apart from the technology, I've found I like managing people and projects. I like taking a new college graduate and developing them into a senior software designer or manager. I like taking a complex set of requirements from a customer and crafting a project plan around them and then managing the day to day crises along the way.

 I didn't realize that the quality of the CSci education at UNCA was so high until I started Grad School at Clemson. The grounding in CSci prepared me for graduate courses without having to take any pre-requisites. And while most graduate courses delved much deeper into subjects covered at UNCA, I found that most topics we covered had been presented at some point at UNCA.

 Apart from the technical education though, the variety of courses I took at UNCA shaped the way I see and interact with the world. As someone with a liberal arts education working in a world of engineers, I bring a different perspective to problems. Out side of work I am very involved in the community and the arts. Many of these involvements are extensions of courses, lectures and performances at UNCA. Courses in physics, political science, classics, and humanities encouraged to ask the question "what do I REALLY believe?". The philosophy, art, and history lectures, the wide variety of visiting musical performances, the art all over campus, the environmental activism, the personal attention from professors extended to every student... all of these shaped the values and perspective I exercise daily. I can't imagine how much less exciting life would be today had my professors concentrated on just teaching me to program a computer.

 I write and revise computer programs. The language we write is COBOL. What I learned from the COBOL courses I took at UNCA was very helpful. In fact, I don't think I could have done without them. Also, the things I learned in other courses I have taken at UNCA will, I'm sure, come in handy in the future.

 I build information interfaces for automated production lines. We are constantly adapting new technology to our automation projects. It leaves us room to dabble in just about everything from databases and web pages to hardware interfaces and machine control.

 I had the opportunity to go to any university in North Carolina and turned it down to come to UNCA and I have never regretted it. I think I received a better education at UNCA than I would have at any of the other state schools. It was a good fit for me.

 I work for Administrative Computing Services at UNCA providing analytical and programming support for SCT's Student Information System (SIS). My primary areas of responsibility include Financial Aid, Billing and Receivables, and Housing, along with lots of quick and dirty COBOL programs to help make things here a bit easier.

 The work here is sometimes hectic, and always diverse. A typical day can include everything from installing system upgrades, to working out a difficult series of reports, to showing a student how to access the Internet (even explaining a time or two what the Internet is.) Never knowing who might stick their head in my door to ask a question is a benefit only an educational environment can offer - which also means I get to keep learning. Aside from UNCA, I write articles and short stories. The articles have been published in everything from local newsprint to the occasional regional or national magazine. As for the short stories... well, I'm working on it. I recently started an online magazine of fiction, more as a source for other writers than myself. The submissions are trickling in, some good, some bad. Take a look if you like at http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/nightlight.

 I enjoyed UNCA as a student for several reasons, but mainly because I have as much of a penchant for literature and arts as I do for science. Two of my favorite courses here were Physics and Humanities. One taught me how to look at the world, the other how it worked - a strange mix maybe, but one where UNCA seems to excel. Much of the success I've had in writing is a direct result of the required writing courses that I, along with most other freshmen, dreaded. (My record is a bit odd. I've sold every piece of non-fiction I've written, and zero fiction. Maybe I should have taken a creative writing course too.)

Jerry L. Storrs
Systems Analyst
Network Services
Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution
Wendell, NC US
E-mail Jerry.Storrs@siemens.com

  I have been with Siemens Power Transmission & Distribution as a Systems Analyst for three years now.  We are one of 33 operating companies owned by the Siemens AG group in Germany and manufacture residential and commercial power metering equipment (as well as softwarethat allows for the power-line feedback of billing info from this equipment), automatic
reclosing circuit breaker equipment for commercial properties as well as high-voltage power-grid distribution switches.  We are a Windows / Solaris shop with pure Cisco network equipment.  Although we are currrently functioning on a single-master/multi-resource Windows domain model, we are currently actively preparing to become a part of the 450,000 employee (140 company) world-wide Siemens Windows Active Directory.

  What I specifically do here at Siemens PT&D is third level support of the multi-site MS Exchange environment.  My experience with the product dates back to 1996 before it was production from Microsoft and my architecture skills for messaging were applied when I first arrived to completely redesign Windows server deployment as well as Exchange
application layout and interconnectivity.  I also functioned as an RFC member of the worldwide architecture team for the corporation's plans for Exchange 2000 deployment.  I originally reported directly to the Chief Information Officer and was recently moved to the Network Systems team.

My previous lives, post UNCA include: four years software development contracting to the National Institute of Environmental Health Services (NIEHS), two years DEC VMS / Solaris systems management for Dept of Chem Eng at NCSU, two years as database designer in VMS systems environment contracting to a major world-wide pharmaceutical, two years contracting
as VMS systems analyst/programmer to NIEHS (they liked me) and finally three years to a major utility as VMS systems analyst / messaging analyst / Windows analyst.  Of course, this doesn't include my 23 years (6 active duty) with the US Navy as a Sonar Technician.  I did considerable computer work while in the Ready Reserve including database design & hardware support in the Southeast Region before retiring as a Chief Petty Officer.  My broad experience in the computing field may have began in the USN, but the academic & practical experience I gained at UNCA definitely makes me a more valuable member of any team I find myelf a part of.   Enjoyed my time at UNCA not only as a Computer Science student (let's not forget the minor in Education), but also as a part of the technical team in the Computer center. I always admired all of you who were on the faculty and staff; however, always felt a certain affinity with Dr. Daugherty and Dr. Lang.  Perhaps because of my father's involvement with the US Space Program and the summer work those men participated in. Their candid conversations with students were always appreciated by all and my memories of college years will always be pleasant.  Having attended his retirement get together, I always think of the students who attend UNCA Computer Science classes in the future and how they will miss (without knowing it) the presence of Dr. Lang.  He is such a remarkable man with a unique personality that the  department could never replace him.

  After working for a *major* university for two years and comparing it to the lower-key environment of UNCA, I made the decision that as my two sons get older (8 & 11 now), I will make every effort for them to pick smaller colleges/universities for study. I always felt that the faculty was genuinely concerned for the academic & personal welfare of each of their assigned students.  That just doesn't manifest at the larger 'mega' schools.  Since we homeschool our boys, I would like to think they'll be self-starters who will be able to excel in their studies regardless of where they go to school and the intensity of the social life at the larger schools detracts from the reason that folks go to university.

 I do system analysis and design. I enjoy development of new systems. My job allows me to move from one project to another during the analysis and development stages. It is rewarding to work on a project for two to three years and participate in successful installations.

 My years at UNC-A were an exciting, stressful time in my life. Working full-time and attending college part-time presented continuous challenges. The environment at UNC-A promoted a sense of "belonging" for both resident and commuter students. My Computer Science classes were time-consuming and difficult, but the professors and students were cohesive; promoting a learning environment that was enjoyable. I don't really look back at my college years as the "good old days," but they were an important time of learning and growing in my life.

 If you are not aware, the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC is the largest archiver of weather data in the world. My job deals with mostly web-programming activities. I am backup webmaster of our website (see URL above). I am also responsible for writing web-based application software for ordering our products and publications along with accessing our online data. We are presently undergoing a transition involving migrating most of our data from the old Unisys mainframe to an Oracle system on workstation technology. I am helping in this effort also.

 Basically I love my job. It is challenging and rewarding, although frustrating, at times. I love learning new technologies and anything involving the internet and web sites is definitely new and changing!

 My years at UNC-A have served me well. I came to UNC-A in the Spring of 1992 after attending 2 years at UNC-Chapel Hill. Because of personal family issues, I moved back to Asheville and decided to live at home and attend UNC-A for one semester before returning to Chapel Hill. I found that I was learning more and loved UNC-A life a lot better than the big, bustling University atmosphere at UNC-Chapel Hill, so I stayed! I love the small, intimate setting of the UNC-A campus along with the small class size and easy access to professors, and the cost ain't bad either. I began the Computer Science program when it was in its infancy and found the field extremely challenging and fun. I grew to love the instructors in the department and they provided much support to me as a student and through later years in my career.

 I would be glad to talk with any students regarding the field of Computer Science and life in the 'real world' as a programmer!!

 I manage a team of Business Analysts that provide Performance Measurement reports for an audience ranging from Banking Center Managers to State Presidents. Our team is responsible for the design and development of technical specification documents for the programming team. I enjoy my job because I get to learn a great deal about the banking industry while staying apprised of the ever changing technical environment.

 During my years at UNCA, I really liked the friendly small school atmosphere and the fact the professors knew your name. I enjoyed participating in Intra-mural sports and attending men's and women's basketball games. The women's basketball team won the national championship during my years as a student.

 I moved to Greenville shortly after graduation and took a job as a programmer with Business Systems Inc., a software firm in the cable TV industry. I spent 2 years there and then moved to Gastonia, NC and worked for a year and a half with Public Service Company as a programmer analyst. (Greg Mull and I had the opportunity to work together for a while.) In 1989 I moved back to Greenville and took a position with Bowater, Inc., a large pulp and paper manufacturer. I spent four and a half years with Bowater doing project development work. In November of 1993, I was presented with an opportunity I had always dreamed of. Rob McClure and I started International Micro. International Micro is a solutions VAR. We offer accounting and networking services and solutions to businesses throughout the Carolinas and beyond. We've modified our base product to be multi-lingual and multi-currency capable and have installed our software in Mexico, Chile, Australia, the Philippines and Indonesia. We are a small company with 7 employees. As general manager, I do everything from sales to programming, from marketing to customer support. I enjoy the process of building a relationship with the customer and the challenge of learning new industries.

 UNC-A was a great time in my life. I was very timid coming out of high school so my college years were a time of discovery, of gaining confidence and establishing goals. I work with college students on a regular basis at my church and they often remind me of myself a few years ago.

 Thank you for your investment in my life. The Information Systems faculty were very instrumental in the choice I made for a career and you will never be forgotten.

 And finally, our business is growing rapidly and we are often looking for graduating CSci students for possible employment. We look for someone with an interest in Windows NT networking or application programming.

 I work as a member of a self-directed team and our job is to produce timely, accurate databases within budget and/or contractual constraints which meet the database marketing needs of the client. We create client files utilizing software utilities, write record layout specifications, verify accuracy of results, perform post processing QA, and provide technical support to clients. I also conduct training classes for clients and create analytical reports for the clients.

 I work with a great bunch of people and I enjoy the environment of the self-directed team. I've had great travel experiences as a trainer, including Vancouver, London and Australia. Our clients are from a variety of industries - financial, telecommunications, publishing, and travel and have different approaches to creating and using a Marketing Database. Each day brings on new challenges and offers opportunities to enhance my career.

 Prior to attending UNCA, I had an undergraduate degree in Marketing, and an MBA. I took a year of classes at UNCA to add the Minor in Information Systems to my resume. I have utilized the experiences of that year each and every day in the workplace. My textbooks from System Analysis, Database Management, and Project Management are on my desk at work and co-workers are constantly borrowing them!

 My year at UNCA was a wonderful enhancement to my career. I met many people who helped ease my transition from the workplace to the classroom. The CSci faculty were extremely competent and knowledgeable and the class work was very applicable to the "real life" work environment.

 If you are interested in a career with a premier database marketing company and enjoying the beautiful Rocky Mountains, you'll find our job hotline at: http://www.customer-insight.com.