Graduate Alumna Focus | Diane Stratton

I have BS degrees in Microbiology and Medical Technology, in addition to my new MS in Computer Science.

My career started as a Medical Technologist at Saint Louis University Hospital in St. Louis, MO, where I worked in a variety of clinical lab departments. I eventually took a lab technologist job with Battelle in Columbus, where I worked on biodefense research projects for government and commercial clients.

In 2009, I transferred to Battelle's Arlington office, and began working at a government client site providing research and analytical support. Since that time, I've provided on-site analytical and programmatic support at other government sites, while working for other companies. I'm now preparing to start my first CS-related position as a software developer.

I became interested in Hood College when I was weighing going back to school to study either Bioinformatics or Computer Science.

I attended a Hood graduate open house, where I spoke with department representatives from each program. In the end, Computer Science won out, and I do think it turned out to be the better option for me.

Because I was coming from a non-CS background, I needed to take Hood's foundation courses to get up to speed on certain topics. Although those courses took some time to complete, I think they really prepared me for the program's core and elective coursework.

This degree provided me with an entirely new skill set - one very different from the skills I've used day-to-day in my recent/prior job experiences. It has opened up a whole new career path for me.

My advice would be more for those students who may be pursuing a career change. Definitely pursue an internship if you can.

As someone who works full-time and went to school part-time, an internship really wasn't possible for me at this stage. When I began my job search, I had a lot of trepidation concerning my lack of CS work experience.

But that turned out to be less of an issue than I thought - there are definitely companies willing to take a chance on new graduates. You just need to be up front about your skill levels.

I've met some really great people - both faculty and fellow students - along the way. It's been an incredibly rewarding experience!

Inspired by Diane's story to #GoFurther in your education to boost your career? Learn about Hood College’s graduate programs, including the Computer Science MS, by clicking here.