"Every company is different in what its coding standards are and what languages it uses. My liberal arts degree has not only given me the ability to program but also has provided me with managing and training skills -- something that I find is lacking in most computer science majors from more technical schools."

Gloria's Word...

Although Jane graduated more than a decade ago, I remember her well, as if she sat in my classes only yesterday. Jane's picture above and her words to the right reflect how easy it is to combine family and a computing career. (Many of our majors work from home.) I'm enormously proud of Jane's "balancing act" and her commitment to motherhood.

Jane on her decision to major in CS...

When I majored in computing in 1991, it was still thought of as 'geeky' -- not the 'hot' career path that it is now. I was always good at programming but didn’t pursue the major until my sophomore year at DePauw. I was somewhat reluctant about majoring in computer science, because it was the same major my mom did, and young adults don’t like to admit to following in their parents' footsteps. I ended up finding a job at IMS, Inc. in Silver Spring, MD in the fall after I graduated. It’s a firm of about 150 employees, specializing in biomedical statistical analysis. After ten years, I’m still at the same company.

Combining family life and work...

I’ve stayed at the same company during a time where I could have gone to other larger corporations and made the twice the salary. Why did I stay? My company offers a very laid-back work environment. I can wear jeans to work, have flexible hours and comp time. I can also work from home. Our managers don’t look over our shoulders all the time; they expect you to work on your own. Overtime is rare and I have an office instead of a cubicle. Two years ago I had a baby and decided to cut back to 30 hours a week to spend more time at home. The company has always been supportive of family life, which is reflected in the low divorce rate in our company.