Students talking to each other in front of posters

Michael Gildein

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Michael Gildein

Wappingers Falls, NY

Academic School

Computer Science and Math

Campus

Online

Why did you choose to pursue your degree at Marist? 
I chose to attend Marist College for my Master's Degree in Computer Science because of the joint study research relationship Marist has with IBM, as well as high recommendations from fellow alumni.

Tell us about a project or course that was particularly meaningful to your professional development. 
The course project, in the Theory of Programming Languages, influenced me significantly in my professional day to day.  The project allowed me to deeply research the background, strengths, and weaknesses of various programming languages while obtaining hands-on experience programming, designing and compiling programs in those languages. I regularly use the knowledge gained from this project in my day to day designing of applications.

How has a degree from Marist and your course work enhanced your career?
The skills learned during earning my degree, helped me become more well-rounded in my profession with extensive hands-on experience. Professors teaching cutting edge technologies and languages placed my skill set among the top in my area. Skills and knowledge that, years later, is still bearing fruit. Beyond graduation, the faculty and I continue to have a relationship where we discuss new ideas and technologies to both further the field of computer science and Marist College.

If you took an online class or had online learning as part of a regular course, tell us about your experiences – any tips or suggestions to pass along to future students?
During my graduate experience, I attended multiple online courses and subsequently have also taught online courses. One of the key attributes that I feel contributes to a successful online course is scheduling dedicated time to work on the course as if you were attending in person. Otherwise, it is easy to allow for procrastination and create a large backlog of work.

Please feel free to provide additional comments:
Upon completing my graduate program, I was nominated for and received the Gradate Award of Excellence and was honored to deliver a speech at commencement.  I mentored and lead an IBM/Marist Joint Study project in the area of defect analytics from 2010 to 2014.  I now also am an adjunct instructor of various technology courses, where I can share my knowledge and experience.

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