Christopher Calaci, a sophomore Management and Informations Systems (MIS) student, has many accomplishments to be proud of from his short time at the University of Connecticut. Originally a finance major, Calaci realized his passion for Information Technology (IT) after attending the Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department workshops and information sessions. Since changing his major from finance to MIS, Calaci has been elected the Vice President of the Information Management Association (IMA). Calaci originally became involved with IMA to make connections with employers and peers, but since then has become an advocate for IMA. “I want people to realize that getting into IT or learning about it isn’t hard. It may be something that is unfamiliar at first but it is a great subject to get involved in.” Getting more students involved in IT and IMA is one of his goals as Vice President, helping to break down the stereotype behind information technology.

In addition to IMA, Calaci is a member of the Business Connections Learning Community (BCLC), mentors freshmen through UConn’s First Year Experience (FYE) program, and works in the IT Department in the School of Business. The BCLC provides students with a place to live, learn, and connect with each other, helping students grow both inside and outside of the classroom. It was through the BCLC that Calaci was introduced to the FYE course that he would later teach. It was here that he encouraged students to “take time out of your day to learn something you may not be learning in the classroom. Just because you’re not taking business classes now doesn’t mean you have to wait to start learning.” These are words he tries to live by, by pursuing his passions outside of the classroom. Last winter break, with the help of the internet, Christopher built a computer and described it as “adult legos.” This determined and dedicated attitude is what helped him land his position in the IT Department at the School of Business. Here he works at the helpdesk, assisting students with their technological needs.

Although Calaci is currently focusing on his academics and securing an internship for this summer, he is most interested in pursuing a career in project management, specifically in software development, or cyber security. Because Calaci is still early in his business education career, he is mostly taking general education courses which has helped push him to learn and try new things, such as philosophy and social ethics. This class taught him how to discuss and form opinions on prominent ethical issues. He is planning on using this class to help him in his future and his career, specifically if he goes into cyber security because of the controversy over privacy issues. He would ideally want to work at a large company that gives him the opportunity to grow and explore as a professional and then look to downsize once he has found his passion.

With his remaining two years at UConn, Calaci is hoping to quench his thirst for knowledge with a variety of OPIM courses and adding a minor that will be both beneficial and enjoyable. Although he may not know where his future will take him, UConn has encouraged him to get involved involved and meet people with similar interests. “Interacting with all of these people has helped me realize what and who I want to be as a person, and the longer I am here the more I learn about myself and what I want to do.”

Robert McClardy Jr.,a freshman from New London, Connecticut is just getting started on his collegiate journey through the Computer Science and Math Statistics programs. McClardy attended Ella T. Grasso Southeastern Technical High School, where he was able to take courses in Information Technology (IT). It was here that he developed skills on designing, developing, and programming, hardware, software, and multimedia platforms. “The more I learned about computers, the more I wanted to learn,” McClardy remarked on his continuous interest in IT. His thirst for technical knowledge could not be stopped, so he did more projects outside of the classroom, got involved, and participated in programming competitions. McClardy’s senior year he made a forum site where people could log in, make posts, and reply to each other. This helped with programs and frameworks, and incorporated what he has done in the past with database management and website building. It was these extra steps of involvement in IT that spurred him to choose his majors.

Although his time at UConn has been short, McClardy has made a conscious effort to get involved on campus. Since the beginning of the semester he has joined the Men’s Glee Club, the Math Club, and OSTEM.  In OSTEM, which stands for Out in Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM), they build networking skills and tinker with different technology, such as microcontrollers. He is most interested in the opportunities within OSTEM and Math Club because they are closely related to his major and will improve his resume. Math Club meets once a week to watch and listen to presentations on topics such as Applications of Divergence of the Harmonic Series, Continued Fractions and Fibonacci Numbers, and the Hausdorff Dimension. One of the reasons why McClardy enjoys this club is that “there isn’t a focus on one particular section of math, which can make it hard to understand, but it’s still enjoyable to see the process of thinking that was used to prove or disprove a topic.”

In addition to all of these clubs, McClardy was also able to secure an on campus job in the OPIM Department in the Gladstein Lab as a Student Lab Specialist. This job builds upon the knowledge he gained from his high school position as a Microsoft Office Instructor. As a Microsoft Office Instructor he gave presentations and helped students one on one to teach them how to use different programs in Microsoft Office. In order to get this position he needed to become certified in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access, so that he could teach these skills to a class of 10-15 students. However McClardy was not satisfied with the average instructor certification, so he went on to get his MOS Specialist Master, which verifies that he earned two certifications in addition to two expert certifications for Excel Expert 2013, Word Expert 2013, Access 2013, and PowerPoint 2013.

Robert McClardy is wholeheartedly invested in the Computer Science and Math Statistics programs. “They’re both something that I don’t get bored of. When I think about working on them I don’t feel stressed. I feel more inspired to work on them even if I don’t know the solution.” Because of this inspiration he has thought of becoming a Database Administrator or going in to software development. No matter the choice, McClardy is sure to be an exceptional student through his remaining years at UConn and a stand out applicant when he begins the job search.

Nathan Hom, a junior Management and Engineering for Manufacturing (MEM) major, has made sure to leave his mark on the UConn community during his undergraduate career. Hom entered UConn in the undecided (ACES) track, bouncing around the ideas of  being a medical doctor, pharmacist, or an engineer. It wasn’t until after he attended open houses and sought out advice from upperclassmen that the thought of engineering, specifically MEM, crossed his mind. “Having a degree from both the School of Business and the School of Engineering allows you to leverage the knowledge between both and get a job in either field.” His dual degree will give him the power to choose whether he wants to take the business route or the engineering route once he starts looking at jobs in the near future, opening doors to two vastly different worlds of opportunities.

The MEM major is just one of the many opportunities that Hom has decided to take advantage of since attending UConn. “UConn is great when it comes to networking, funding, and involvement,” said Hom as he recounted his experience with his extracurricular activities. He has actively been involved in the Cyber Security Club, MEM Society, and the 3D printing club since his freshman year. The Cyber Security Club aims to teach members about the protection of computer systems, such as how passwords are cracked and how to have a secure password. Sometimes the club hosts “hacking” competitions where members test their skills from what they’ve learned in their weekly meetings, which directly relates to Hom’s studies through MEM. MEM Society is mostly a networking group that brings in speakers and recruiters to give insight and advice towards career opportunities in the future. On top of these three clubs, Hom is also a research assistant for the Mechanical Engineering Department and helps “fabricate a biodegradable and compatible sensor that can be implanted in living things for medical purposes.”  It was the MEM Society and the 3D printing club, which gives students resources, information, and access to 3D printers, that helped Nathan land his current position as a 3D Printing Specialist in the Operations and Information Management (OPIM) Department. As the 3D Printing Specialist he teaches students to use the printer, helps students print during walk in appointments, and tech kits. This job has helped him gain valuable experience in the field and will help him get jobs in the future.

Eager to see what his future holds, Hom is focusing on further developing his engineering and business skills to one day become a C-Suite Executive of a company.