 |
 |
|
||||||
About DIGA
Program Overview
Research at SMU
Testimonials by Grads
Alumni Connections
|
Testimonials by Students and Alumni"I move to Washington D.C. in a week to go work for the DOD and am so excited and know that everything happened because of my experience at SMU " - Benjamin Weber "I selected St. Mary’s because of the small class sizes and the enthusiasm of the instructors and I went from knowing little about GIS to having a great internship at the Nature Conservancy to landing my dream job doing research at the EPA. I have used the skills I have learned at St. Mary’s in my job. The GIS program at St. Mary’s is very transferable to the real world and the instructors are very supportive, patient and enthusiastic. I highly recommend the program!" - Caroline Erickson "The Resource Analysis Program at SMU can open up many doors for people in the information field. With the computer experience I received at St. Mary's I was able to first get a job at IBM in Rochester as a networkstation tester and then with that experience I was able to get a great job making very good money at 3com. What I'm getting at is, with the knowledge and experience you gain from the resource analysis grad program you don't have to limit yourself to just the GIS field. There many skills that I picked up in the program that proved very helpful in the information technology world. Not to mention all the fun I had along the way. " - Brendan Brooks "I have found that Saint Mary's program was exactly what I needed to get into this position and successfully complete the work that is needed here. I was initially interested in their program because I liked the combination of analysis techniques/natural resources/presentation skills - at that time (1995) there were no other programs with that combination. I have not kept current on other schools, but even if they have similar programs, they will not have the history of success that Saint Mary's does. …Interviewed two of your recent grads yesterday. You should be very proud of the types of people you are putting on the street. Both of these guys interviewed exceptionally and I am positive that we will end up offering at least one of them a position. You have really built a great reputation for SMU in this field. It is amazing to me to see the list of students that are on your distribution list. You have put a lot of top-quality professionals out in the GIS world! Even down here, I hear a lot of people say that they know of and respect the RA program and what you are doing. I do miss being a part of it. " - Chris Ensminger, Iowa DNR "When they hired me here, my supervisor told me it was because they had heard good things from ESRI about the SMU program compared to other GIS training. I really deeply appreciate the learning and experience I've gained as a result of participating in your program. I am extremely happy with the program and I definitely will be staying in close contact with you and the entire SMU staff. I'm excited for the future but also sad to leave. " - Andy Kruse "I would like to tell you that I am really enjoying the VB.NET class. I'm glad you liked the conformance registration application. I spent a lot of time on that application and as you told us prograMMing is something we learn by doing I believe that I just put my foot on the first step of learning prograMMing. I'll work hard to achieve that." - Ale MohaMMedale "I cannot tell you how grateful I am to have had your PM and Presentation Skills classes last year. MY current position with Johnson Controls has been a new experience that I could not handle, had it not been for the information I gleaned from your classes. My GIS and business skills have been tested in the 'real world,' and I am proud to report that I have been promoted from GIS Development Specialist to GIS Project Manager within my firm. " - Sara Ariss "The folks at the EPA were very impressed with your RA program. My boss was particularly impressed with the many different modules of GIS that we were exposed to (i.e. VB, Avenue, AML, GRID, etc). Also, they stated how hard it is to find people who are competent with both natural resources and GIS. " - Ryan Budlong "I came to Saint Mary's without any GIS skills. I would not have these opportunities without the analytical skills cultivated in the GIS program at Saint Mary's. " - Nicole DeMotto, "I have found that Saint Mary's program was exactly what I needed to get into this position and successfully complete the work that is needed here. I was initially interested in their program because I liked the combination of analysis techniques/natural resources/presentation skills - at that time (1995) there were no other programs with that combination. I have not kept current on other schools, but even if they have similar programs, they will not have the history of success that Saint Mary's does. …Interviewed two of your recent grads yesterday. You should be very proud of the types of people you are putting on the street. Both of these guys interviewed exceptionally and I am positive that we will end up offering at least one of them a position. You have really built a great reputation for SMU in this field. It is amazing to me to see the list of students that are on your distribution list. You have put a lot of top-quality professionals out in the GIS world! Even down here, I hear a lot of people say that they know of and respect the RA program and what you are doing. I do miss being a part of it. " - Chris Ensminger "I do not think that I would have received this kind of expertise and individual attention anywhere else. That's where most of my memories come from when I think of my schooling. " - Adel Gilroy "I am employed at ESRI (The leading software company in GIS) due to this Master's Degree. You are given a well-rounded base of knowledge and skills throughout this program. " - Julie Haddon-Cook "Deciding to go back to school at age 31 and attend Saint Mary's was my best career decision. And by staying in touch with the RA web mail where I found out about an employment opportunity, I have just begun the job of my dreams. I work in the Land Development for a private corporation that manages one of thirteen regions given to the native Alaskans. " - Blake Kowal "When they hired me here, my supervisor told me it was because they had heard good things from ESRI about the SMU program compared to other GIS training. I really deeply appreciate the learning and experience I've gained as a result of participating in your program. I am extremely happy with the program and I definitely will be staying in close contact with you and the entire SMU staff. I'm excited for the future but also sad to leave. " - Andy Kruse "I'm so proud to have gone to Saint Mary's and my graduate degree in RA was the most rewarding education of my life - I wouldn't be here without it. It must feel great to have built such a successful program. " - Matt Krusemark "The deciding factor, I was told at the time of the offer, was my well-rounded education. They said that many people applied with many different backgrounds, but the fact that I possess strong knowledge of ArcGIS, strong writing skills, project management and grant writing skills, and I have had experience with ArcIMS really helped set me apart from the rest of the competition. They also stated that my higher education will provide for a brighter future for their company. " - Nicole Lynch "I really enjoyed Intro. To ArcView with Jay. It was a great learning experience and he was a really good instructor. " - Mike McGuire "I also wanted to take a moment to let you know that the Resource Analysis program definitely equips individuals to be marketable and successful in the GIS world. As for myself, I was selected as the Deputy GIS officer for all of Europe, which entails approximately 92 countries. I have worked with a lot of GIS analysts throughout the theater and can say that our grads are well ahead of the curve! " - Dean Mierau "Thanks again Doc, for all your support! I really, really appreciate it. I absolutely love my education I received at SMU, you gave me a gift that will make me happy for the rest of my life - the chance to do something I love to do! You're right - this is me, and it is the kind of job you wait your whole life to get! I am so excited! And I will always remember you all - I love GIS and you gave me that skill - you'll always be with me. " - Susan Miller "To pursue GIS in general was a risk due to my lack of technology background. To point though, I took the risk and have experienced significant gains since beginning the program less than 2 years ago, it has been a steep uphill climb since then. All challenges aside, it's been a great experience with more to follow. I appreciate the hard work you and others have contributed to the program that has helped to get me to this day. When beginning the MSGIS program with Saint Mary's in 2003, I did not have strong technology background. In less than two years, I have experienced significant gains since beginning the program and it's been a great experience. I appreciate the hard work of the instructors who contributed to the program that has helped me to gain the GIS skills needed to land my current position as a GIS Analyst. " - Steve Misterek "I got a lot out of the program this year and look forward to the next 2. Actually, more than I originally thought I would. I've been able to apply the new skills directly to my job. Hats off to the department for a good curriculum." - Ryan Moore "Saint Mary's offered a challenging dynamic rigorous approach for developing my GIS skills. The assignments are structured in a demanding, yet cooperative-based framework employing the most current GIS software applications. The highly-educated instructors are constantly updating their assignments to take advantage of new and innovative technologies. This type of learning environment put me on top of the job market. " - Martin Murphy "It is a great thing reading from you, you are such a great teacher. I really enjoy everything about your lectures. How I wish the class never end. I wish that our paths of learning cross again. " - Olaniyi Oyebode "I am looking forward to using the education I have received and begin to learn more. Thank you for the past four years of educating me and lending your guidance. Your dedication to teaching is matched by no one I have ever been around, and this only helps inspire others to do the same. Thank you for everything and I will be sure to keep in touch. " - Samuel Pociask "Things are going good! I really like it here, and I really enjoy the RA program! " - Carrie Quast "The balanced construct of the SMU Resource Analysis degree set me apart from the field of applicants for my GIS Analyst position at Iowa State University. " - Marc Rogers "Using GIS as an integral part of business intelligence, whether in healthcare, marketing, or sales is drawing a watchful eye from the industry. I firmly believe that any expansion of jobs and technology in GIS will come from the private sector. Saint Mary's has done an excellent job helping me hone my analytical skills. The school has also given me the added confidence I need to address a large crowd of GIS professionals and truly feel like a field innovator. " - Thomas Sandberg "I would like to thank you, the program was a big reason I was still standing after the dust settled. I am using GIS as a tool with my forestry work quite a bit, which is perfect for me. I didn't want to work exclusively on GIS but use it as a tool for working with our natural resources, I found a perfect fit. Thanks again." - Jonathan Sobiech "I have completed the topographical map, and I do have a color printer at work [hope it still has toner!!!]. I also have the chapter 7 quiz done. Thank you for your support and encouragement. I have nothing but the highest respect for you -especially having the IT background, which makes you even BETTER!!!! " - Kurt Swendson "I have an interview on Wednesday for an investigation position with the United States Postal Inspection Service. FYI: this agency is one of the most respected law enforcement agencies in the world! I would be working under a Postal Inspector, working on investigations. I still have a long way to go, but finally have landed an interivew. Now I just have to impress them with my education, experience, and charm! I thought I would let you know because I would never have this opportunity without mentors like yourselves!" - Wallis Turner "I have found many educational advantages to completing the fast track program. The intensity of the course work facilitates a learning coMMunity where students work together to complete tasks with the help of instructors. Although the course work is intensive, the fast track program promotes curriculum overlap among courses which encourages strong understanding, while still covering a wide range of subjects. " - Alison Weickowicz "I just found out yesterday that two of my GIS projects got acceptetd for 1/2 hour presentations at the International ESRI Conference in July. I'm so pumped! " - Kendis Willet "Saint Mary's GIS program has been a cooperative learning experience, with the chance to interactively learn while working with colleagues. I value the up-to-date GIS curriculum and the opportunity to choose a focus area." - Todd Zielsdorf
|