November 02, 2020

Name
Persephone Gloeckner-Suits

Hometown
Ann Arbor, MI

Why did you choose to attend Mizzou for the IT program?
My father did his undergraduate at Mizzou and had nothing but good things to say about it. He heavily influenced my decision to attend the University of Missouri.

Tell us about your educational experiences.
I did poorly in high school because I simply didn’t try.  I never thought I would go to college, but after I took a gap year I realized how terribly bored I was and began entertaining the idea of attending a university. I didn’t think I would be able to get into Mizzou with my poor grades, but luckily, I did quite well on my ACT and that was enough to gain me admission. My freshman year was a little rocky but, once I made the decision to switch to IT I found myself extremely motivated and really poured myself into my schoolwork.

Where will you work after graduation? How did the IT program prepare you?
I’d like to work in either web development or media technology, two things I never would have thought I enjoyed. I came to Mizzou as a film major, but after taking one of Chip Gubera’s media technology courses I realized how much I enjoyed working with technology, and despite what I had previously thought, it wasn’t all way over my head. Chip helped me make the decision to switch my major to IT, and ultimately he asked me to PLA for the class that had inspired me. Switching to IT was the best decision I could have made, and I’ve been exposed to so many different ideas and concepts which used to feel so foreign to me.

Did you have an internship or other opportunities during your time at Mizzou?
I have had the opportunity to PLA for several different courses, including Chip Gubera’s Intro to Digital Media Design, which revolved around the basics of learning to use Adobe software, such as Photoshop, Audition, Premiere, and more. I have also worked for Dale Musser as a PLA for Intro to Problem Solving and Programming, Digital Systems, and Nicholas Wergeles’ Web Application and Development course.

I am also currently employed as an operator for the College of Engineering’s IDE Lab, helping with various media projects throughout the college.

Would you recommend the IT program and if so, what would you tell prospective students about the program?
I would definitely recommend the IT program to prospective students. The instructors are some of the most supportive people I have ever known, and they are constantly encouraging me. I have been given so many incredible opportunities through this program and definitely recommend it to anyone who has an interest in technology. The classes are definitely difficult, but they really push you to learn and master the concepts.