Ann Ciesla Wilkerson '20

What is your fondest memory of your time in the CS department?

My fondest memory in the CS department was taking concurrent programming. Even though it's a famously difficult class, I enjoyed the challenge and spending late nights in the lab bouncing ideas off of other students while working on the programs. The class forced me to learn how to think critically about my code, which has become a valuable skill.

How has your education impacted your career?

One of the most valuable things I gained from my education at Tech has been the network of alumni. Alumni of all ages share a similar camaraderie that is felt around the campus while you are a student. It's very easy to connect with other alumni on shared experiences and I have no doubt that they would go out of their way to help another Husky. My network of Michigan Tech alumni have helped me in all stages of career growth, from career fair, to internships, and now through the beginning stages of my career.

Ann participates in the CS1000 Alumni Assignment project where alumni correspond with first-year computer science students and answer questions they have about the school, the program, the industry, or just life in general at Michigan Tech. She also recruits students at Michigan Tech's Career Fair.