“I've always wanted to work with computers in some way. Guilford doesn’t have computer science, but it does have a major called Computing Technology and Information Systems (CTIS),” he explains.

The speed at which Connor graduated and his remarkable good fortune in finding employment do in fact make him something of a curious case, but if you look closer, there are some clues.

There Was More

Thanks to the individual attention that students receive at Guilford, Connor discovered another potential major, a subject in which he had previously excelled.

“A lot of the CTIS courses overlap with math, which I’ve always been good at. I took AP Calculus in high school,” he says. “I was taking some math classes my first two semesters, and one of my professors noticed that I was doing really good work. They encouraged me to take on a math major. Eventually I caved in.”

It turns out that Guilford was the right learning environment for Connor. He said he appreciated all of his professors, including one of his advisers, Rob Whitnell, with whom he had many classes. Connor also notes Mathematics Professor Ben Marlin and former Professor Dani Moran for their support. 

A Bright Future

Heeding his professors’ advice and working hard has had its benefits for Connor. He graduated a year early and received a full-time job offer with good pay as a software developer for J.B. Hunt.

“I got pretty lucky with the with the way I got a job. I didn’t even have to apply. They just reached out to me for an interview,” he shares. “I believe they found my profile on LinkedIn. I’m working with a group of six or seven people, adding features and fixing issues with logistic software,” he says.

Although half of his three years at Guilford were during the COVID-19 pandemic, Connor still found ways to get involved on campus. He was a member of a few clubs, including Democracy Matters, Active Minds, and R.O.A.R., an animal-rights group that, among many things, walks dogs from a local animal shelter. 

He advises current and future Guilford students to also get involved and make the most of their time in college. And, he says, make your voice heard. “Stand up for how you think the College should present itself to its students and the public.”

Are you interested in studying computer science at a liberal arts college? Schedule your visit to Guilford to learn more about how the Guilford College Mathematics major and the Computing Technology and Information Systems major will help you prepare to excel in a technology career.