Tell us about yourself.
I graduated from Gustavus in 1999 with a degree in Computer Science. I am currently working as a Professional Services Consultant at NetApp. I assist large businesses with deployment, use, and customization of NetApp OnCommand Insight, a software product that helps them monitor, manage, and plan their data storage infrastructure.
How did the MCS department help you get where you are today?
Computer Science provided a solid underpinning of structured thinking that has been directly valuable when I have had to learn a new system, and indirectly valuable in a lot of situations. A referral from fellow MCS alumnus Andy Kay helped me get my first sysadmin position after college.
What is your favorite memory or memories of the MCS department?
The time I spent with Barbara, Karl, and Max provided me with diverse examples of how a smart person can present himself in and relate to the world with clever quips, thoughtful listening, and clear and concise communication.
Also, after-hours networked Quake on the SGI workstations.
Anything else you would like to add or mention?
Work Study and summer employment with the Academic Computing department provided a great opportunity to learn about using technology in a workplace, gain organizational and interpersonal skills that came in very handy later, and provided real world hands-on technology experience. I learned from Philip Guenther’s example that by being a systems administrator I could combine the structure and detail orientation that I liked about Computer Science with real-world, end-user computing.
Thanks for the update James. It’s good to hear from you.
If you would like to let the MCS department know what you are up to you can do so by clicking here. We would love to hear from you.
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