Most valuable experience:  
“The most valuable experience I have had at Wright State was getting to learn about such a wide variety of materials.  I learned a lot about topics I knew nothing about, both in MIS and other aspects of business such as the implications of international trade policy and the global economy.  Exposure to such a diverse aspects of business  has definitely given me a great foundation as I start my IT career at Teradata ”

Why Wright State? I had wanted to be in IT for a long time; I just wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do in the field, such as Computer Science or Engineering.  Then I had heard about MIS from a friend who was going to Wright State.  It sounded like a very solid program – and it is both AACSB and ABET accredited!  So I completed the two-year parallel program at Sinclair transferred to Wright State without a single problem.

Leadership: I am currently the president of the MIS club and also attempt to take leadership roles in many of my class projects and groups. I feel this is a great way to gain a bit of leadership experience by working closely with your peers and there are a lot of opportunities to take on these positions during your experience at Wright State.

Internships: I have had one internship so far with CareSource, a local managed Medicaid company located in Downtown Dayton. I was in their first group of interns that they had ever taken in and worked with their web application development team. It was a great learning experience to be able to work with and talk to people that had been in the field for twenty plus years.  It was also very cool to help a project go from planning to implementation and see all the steps in between.

 Tips for Success:

• Try taking a variety of classes that aren't required.  You will learn things that will be useful in whatever  you end up doing.
  
• Don't be afraid to ask faculty for help and advice.  They're always willing to listen to ideas and help you out if you are having trouble or challenges.
  
• Make sure to look hard for internships when you have the ability to do so.  Many are for juniors but some are available to sophomores.  They are very good experiences  and most potential employers really value candidates with some intern experience  -- plus paid internships can put some extra money in your pocket! 

Career Goals:
I have already accepted a job doing Technical Database Consulting with Teradata.  I’m really excited about the route I’m taking.  Through the database classes offered at Wright State, I realized that's what I really enjoy doing more than anything else in IT. I'll be traveling every week, and learning a lot, and I hope to be able to continue and grow my knowledge and ability on this specific subject, and hope to stay with this growing multi-national company for a very long time.  

Most valuable experience:  
“One of the most valuable Wright State experiences I have had is getting to meet and know the wide variety of students at Wright State, as well as the faculty members. I am  from the small town of New Riegel and my graduating class had only 32 people. Being able to come here and experience such a wide diversity of people and being able to learn so much about so many different areas has opened my eyes to far more then I ever thought college would.  Coming to Wright State has made quite a difference in my life, that’s for sure. 

The College of Business faculty has also been terrific.  As a first year student, I didn’t know anything about MIS.  Just being able to learn about MIS by working closely with the faculty has been so valuable.  The faculty are really great about supporting every student and supporting me personally in my future career and also by being a better all-around student and individual.

Awards/ Recognition: I received the CIOhio Symposium scholarship award which was open to students throughout Ohio.  I was one of only three students selected for the scholarship in the entire state and I won the top student leader award state-wide. The Ohio CIO Symposium is an event held every year by Tech Columbus.  IT and business leaders share insights and expertise about IT trends, challenges and opportunities  in Ohio. Being a part of the event helped me network and gain insights about IT that built upon my classroom learning. Read more. 

Leadership: I am the current president of the MIS club, a part of the Newman Student Catholic Association Leadership Committee, and I also work with Gang Green, an environmental group at Wright State. I learned that I was capable of stepping up and taking on leadership roles.  I’ve learned so much more about myself that I never knew. Also, being able to interact with other people and being able to see their viewpoints contributes to an overall learning experience you can’t get without getting involved.

Why WSU? Originally, I was in computer engineering and chose Wright State because of its computer engineering program. Wright State has a nice new campus and just seemed like it had a good feel to it. Since I switched over to MIS, I was lucky that WSU had a great business school as well. 

 Internships:  I’ve had two internships so far.  The first was with a small business with only two other IT employees besides me.  I gained valuable hands-on experience and got to work with a wide variety of projects in both hardware and tech support.   My second internship was with Marathon Oil Company this past summer.  At Marathon, there were forty IT interns.  That was a huge change! Being able to focus on the corporate side, and having a specific focus on projects was a completely different experience. It was pretty neat to work with other interns.  Each internship has offered me a different perspective of the IT world and its vast opportunities.

Career Goals:
I would like to stay in Ohio. I enjoy Ohio and I would like to work in a business someday where I can feel like I’m making a difference in the lives of other people. That's very important to me. Finding a career that improves the lives of others would be ideal.

Tips for Success:

• Get out of your comfort zone. Try new things.  Meet new people.  You might surprise yourself about your capabilities, interests and undiscovered talents.
• The faculty want every student to succeed and go beyond just getting a degree.  Let them know your interests.  Ask them for help, advice and ideas. They along with your fellow students are best part of your education.