CHASS College Computing (C³) Alumni Members Discover Career Opportunities
By Stephanie Wejbe, Student Intern of CHASS College Computing

Three of C³’s intern team members graduated at the June, 2003 Commencement ceremonies and have embarked on professional career paths using the skills and experience learned at C³. These students along with their fellow team members were chosen for their respective fields of study, skill, and work interests including communication, marketing, graphic design, and computer information management. The team serves as an active contributor to many of the e-business developments for CHASS and is led by Director, James Lin.

Joshua Willis, who obtained a Computer Science degree with a minor in Business at UCR, worked for C³ over two years and contributed to the areas of web programming and is responsible for CHASS’s highly successful Exit Survey. Josh was hired to be a Network Engineer in the Air Force Space Command Network Operations and Security Center in Colorado. He is responsible for overseeing all the equipment used by the Air Force to monitor the status of their networks across the country.

Lynda Tran, who was responsible for the team’s graphical end, also completed a degree in Computer Science and graduated Magna Cum Laude. Her year at C³ led to acclaimed graphic presentations for over 10 of the College’s websites. She was chosen to work for the California State University Chancellor’s Office in Long Beach as a Web Administrator. Tasks include administering and maintaining websites, assisting in Academic Technology support, and completing various electronic and technical works.

Ferda Mehmet, formerly handled the Communications realm of C³, focusing primarily on the news and events publications. She completed a degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Marketing. Currently, she was hired by a firm in San Francisco to write press releases and public relations work about patented inventions for magazine editors.

As an integral component of working at C³, interns are learning the skills and obtaining the experience, hoping that it will help propel their professional careers following graduation. When asked how the experience at C³ helped to get their careers established, Lynda Tran commented, “Having the opportunity to work with faculty and staff gave me experience in communicating with upper level positions. I developed skills in team collaboration, leadership project management, and how to handle multiple projects at the same time.”

Josh Willis said, “James Lin and C³ guided me along a path and showed me what it was that people would expect from me in ‘the real world’. Now, I am a graduate who not only knows what will be expected of him and who has experience in performing to those standards, but I also know that I have found a position that I will enjoy.”

Ferda Mehmet believes her time at C³, “helped in learning what direction to focus my future on, for I have always loved to write” and allowed her to develop experience before stepping foot into the real world.

Guided by Dean O'Brien's vision, and marked by highly technical services and a development-oriented team for academic computing and Information Technology, CHASS College Computing provides technical support services to CHASS. C³; serves as CHASS’ resource center in instructional, research, and administrative technologies. The team’s effort won the UC’s 2003 Larry Sautter Award for Achievement in University Computing.