A Personalized Experience Inspires a Family Tradition
By Janet Egiziano, Director, Thousand Oaks Campus, Associate Director, MBA Program
When both your parents are computer scientists and you read computer science books just for fun, you just might be destined for a career in computer science. That’s the story behind Kathy Macropol who earned an MS in Computer Science from CI in 2007, and who today is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Arcadia University.
Macropol’s journey began with an Associate degree from Ventura College and a UCLA undergraduate degree. Shortly after graduation she received a mailer announcing CI’s new graduate degree in computer science. Macropol, a Camarillo native, had heard about the new CSU campus right in her own backyard. She visited, loved what she saw, and was encouraged by the program’s professors to apply to the program.
“Throughout the program,” Macropol says, “my CI professors were encouraging and inspiring. The classes prepared me well for my Ph.D. and for my work.” At Arcadia University, Macropol combines an undergraduate Chemistry degree, an MS in Computer Science degree, and a Ph.D. in Computer Science to conduct research in data mining, bioinformatics, and machine learning. “I’m in the field of Network Science where we work to discover common principles, algorithms and tools that govern network behavior, “ says Macropol. “We are developing techniques that can integrate and analyze data from multiple sources and models efficiently.”
One of Macropol’s greatest pleasures as a professor at Arcadia, however, is teaching. “My experience at CI taught me how much influence a professor has and how inspiring a professor can be. CI’s graduate program was a personalized experience – like family. I try to model that inspiration everyday.”
That inspiration extends to Macropol’s own family. Her younger sister is now a CI computer science student. “My sister watched me and saw that CI provided a wonderful experience that prepared me academically and professionally. CI’s Computer Science program has become a family tradition.”