SCC bridges Academic and Career Success for CIS Student Nick Hare

Scottsdale, AZ (December 15, 2008) – When Nick Hare started in SCC’s Computer Information Systems program in the spring of 2008, it was a last-ditch effort to find a career path, he said.  “Up to that point, I was four years in with no ideas on a specific path.”

Although he explored other program areas, he realized he had not yet landed on his dream career. 

“I did well in my classes but wasn’t interested in a career in any of them,” he said.  “So I decided to jump into computer classes to see if I liked them.”

Like them he did.  The quick start program at SCC convinced Hare that computer technology was the career path for him. 

“The best way to learn how to swim is to start by diving in,” he said.  “The Quick Start program was an efficient way to immerse myself and turned out to be a turning point.”

SCC’s Quick Start program consists of accelerated courses that cover all the required competencies for the CompTIA A+ Certification, including two required exams – Comp TIA Certification Exam 220-601 and 220-602.  The classes teach a variety of skills -- from designing and building a Personal Computer to installing and configuring an operating system, explained Hare. 

“We learned the different types of hardware that go into a PC,” he said.  “And the different types of motherboards, processors, RAM (memory), Network Interface Cards, video cards, and sound cards.  We also learned how to install Windows XP with various configuration options and security settings.” 

Ron Monroig, SCC’s CIS instructor, taught Hare’s classes, including a week-long ‘boot camp’ prep course the first week of summer. 

“It was four hours a day Monday through Friday covering all the course information we learned in the two accelerated classes,” said Hare of the boot camp, explaining that the information was condensed into one week.  “The following Monday I took and passed the two tests required for the A+ certification with a concentration as an IT Technician.”

Monroig explains that Hare exhibited a sincere interest in understanding the technology.

“Nick is very inquisitive and very analytical,” he said.  “This made him a good fit for a profession in computer technology.  His intellectual honesty and resourcefulness makes him a credible source among his peers as well as his superiors. “     

While in the program, Hare was also exposed to different data communication hardware, protocols, topologies, configurations, and various other technology skills through a third class, CIS 190, which prepared Hare and his peers for a third exam – the Comp TIA Network+ Certification exam.

“These classes were amazing!” remarked Hare.  “I was completely absorbed in what I was learning and found a drive I never knew I had.”

During the spring 2008 semester, Monroig encouraged Hare to participate in the Avnet Technology Games, an annual technology challenge open to all colleges and universities in Arizona.  During the Games, Hare and his peers from SCC competed in the ‘Build the Fastest Computer’ competition, pictured here. 

“My team didn’t win.  However, I believe I learned more because we lost,” he said.  “All the troubleshooting techniques we used to resolve issues definitely increased my knowledge base.”

After the competition, Hare participated in a Networking Hour in which event participants were given the opportunity to meet executives from sponsoring companies, including Avnet.  

“Everyone there was willing to help and answer questions without hesitation,” said Hare about Avnet’s openness to helping students.  “The executives who participated in the meet-and-greet hour were very approachable.  From that day, I knew I was going to work for Avnet.” 

After speaking with the executives at Avnet, Hare passed along his resume, which opened up an opportunity to intern for the company.  Soon after, he was hired as a contract Global Information Systems (GIS) Operator in Avnet’s Corporate Service Group, the position he holds today.

“To be an efficient organization, a large company should embrace Change Management,” said Hare.   “Within a large corporation, all the numerous changes that take place on a regular basis need to be documented and authorized by the various groups that can be affected by those changes.  I facilitate much of that communication.” 

As a GIS Operator, Hare describes himself as a Change Advisory Board (CAB) Coordinator – a position in which he organizes the various changes that take place within the Enterprise Infrastructure area.    As the CAB Coordinator, he runs weekly meetings to discuss upcoming changes with representatives from various departments.  He also works with mainframes in the Command Center, including programs and operating systems that run on the mainframes and servers in the datacenter.   

“Any time spent on unexpected downtime is enormously expensive,” he said, explaining that the Change Management function works to proactively facilitate effective and efficient business processes through collaboration and communication between departments. 

During his search for the right career, Hare made sure to cover his bases.  He utilized the Career Services department at SCC for job searches, resume writing assistance, and Cooperative Education services.  Cyndi DeBoer, Director of SCC’s Career and Cooperative Education Services department, has known Hare through the years.

“I have known Nick since the Fall of 2005,” she said.  “He came in to Career Services so that we could assist him with finding a work study job on campus,” referring to the federal program that provides funding for on-campus jobs to help students defray the cost of college.

According to DeBoer, many departments at SCC have jobs that they will offer to work study students, ranging from clerical, fitness center, athletic trainers, college safety and many others.   Cooperative Education, on the other hand, is a way for students to earn college credits for working in a job that relates to their major. 

Ron Monroig, a member of DeBoer’s Cooperative Education Advisory Committee, was instrumental in referring Hare to Career Services to discuss the possibility of receiving credit for working with Avnet. 

“There’s no doubt that Nick has chosen a challenging profession because of the rapid pace it advances each day, yet Nick has the personality and intellect for it,” remarked Monroig.  “But what really makes Nick stand out is his genuine passion for his field of study, and his newly chosen profession.”

In October, Hare was presented with the 2008-09 Cooperative Education Student Achievement Award for the excellent work he has done for Avnet and in representing SCC, explained DeBoer. 

“He was presented with this award at the ‘Evening of Etiquette’ dinner that is held for the Professional Development component of Cooperative Education,” she said.

As far as Hare’s future, he imagines both a career and additional education in the computer technology field, while learning and contributing at Avent.

“This is an amazing job with limitless opportunities,” he said.

Hare plans on earning his Associate of Arts degree this summer, an associate’s degree in Network Administration in the spring of 2010, followed by a bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering.

“I have a feeling I will go after a master’s degree after that in either technology or business or both,” he said.  “I’m only taking this one step at a time, so I won’t worry about that quite yet.”

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SCC plans to participate in the next Avnet Tech Games slated for April 4, 2009 at the University of Advancing Technology in Tempe.

About Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale Community College offers over 1,500 academic and non-credit classes each semester. Located on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the campus is known for its serene atmosphere and beautiful plant and wildlife. With nearly 12,000 students, Scottsdale Community College is proud to offer high-quality, affordable programs in small class settings. From Motion Picture/Television Production and Culinary Arts to Nursing and American Indian Studies, students have a wide variety of programs from which to earn credits for university transfer, launch their careers, train for new ones, or pursue a special interest. The SCC Business Institute offers customized programs to meet the needs of local business. Scottsdale Community College is one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges.

To learn about the many academic programs at Scottsdale Community College, call us at (480) 423-6000 or visit our website at www.scottsdalecc.edu.

Media contact:
Denise Kronsteiner
(480) 423-6567
denise.kronsteiner@sccmail.maricopa.edu

Computer Information Systems contact:

Ron Monroig

(480) 423-6696

ron.monroig@sccmail.maricopa.edu

Career and Cooperative Education Services contact:

Cyndi DeBoer

(480) 423-6513
cyndi.deboer@sccmail.maricopa.edu

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