M.S. Geographic Information Science
Students and Alumni speak about the MS
GIS and SMU
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 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