Recent Grad Lands His "Dream Job"
Jeremy Cencer, B.B.A.'11, entered the business Career Day his last semester of college with a plan. He made his way through the aisles of employers to Compuware, a technology performance company that ensures maximum performance of technologies for businesses worldwide, and began a conversation with a recruiter about the future of technology and business practices. Cencer impressed the recruiter with his knowledge of the field, and a few rounds of interviews later, landed his dream job as an I.T. consultant for the company.
In addition to the programming skills he learned at the college, Cencer praises Western’s faculty for providing strong support to their students. “Dr. Alan Rea and Dr. Andrew Targowski are a big part of why I am where I am today. Dr. Rea is responsible for starting me on my journey towards I.T. and Dr. Targowski taught me to think outside the box, opening my eyes to the true meaning of I.T. in the corporate world. I have to deeply thank them both for the skills and knowledge they shared with me that enabled me to make wise decisions and excel in the field.” Cencer encourages students to follow his example and take advantage of the knowledgeable professors at the college in and out of the classroom, “Some of the best lessons I learned were not in a classroom but during office hours or even from a conversation in the hallway. Give them feedback and share what you think on their teachings. You might be amazed at what you find, I know I was.”
Cencer finds his career in I.T. to be not only rewarding but also inspiring and motivating as well. It is a fast-paced field where employees are challenged to keep up with current trends and information, but Cencer enjoys the fact that there is always more to learn, “The industry I am in is unique in that anyone could potentially have the next big thing at any moment. We are literally making history every day. Thinking about how much hard work went into today’s technology can really humble you and at the same time motivate you to roll up your sleeves and contribute.”
Though he has achieved success early in his career, he never loses touch with his alma mater. He represents Western with pride in every presentation he gives and speaks highly of his education among his peers (and manages to visit Kalamazoo now and then for a Sweetwater’s donut). He even regularly shows his support for a friendly rivalry that all Western alumni know and love, “I wear my Western tie just to let those Central guys know."