As an undergraduate, Jennifer (photo, center) majored in interactive media studies and computer science, which led her to her master’s work in computer science. To support her graduate studies, she earned a graduate assistant position in the Office of Marketing and Communications helping program and populate the College’s webpages for its new website and rollout in 2016. Her contributions were noticed. She landed a full-time position at North Central as web applications programmer in the Information Technology Services (ITS) department and plans to pursue yet another degree, an M.B.A.
Immediately after graduation, Natalie ’17 moved to Madison, Wis., and plans to attend a master’s program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Later this summer, Nathaniel ’17 begins a full assistantship in the Ph.D. program in economics at Northern Illinois University and looks forward to a career as a college professor or at the Federal Reserve.
Their parents, Ken and Belinda, and Jennifer’s husband RT have been proud cheerleaders. “Starting as kids, my mom enrolled us in academic camps, computer classes and music programs. They went out and found opportunities for us, making us eager to learn,” said Jennifer.
Ken has a college degree and works as an engineer at Caterpillar. Belinda built her own cosmetology business, A Woman’s Place, after attending Lincoln College. Although Belinda recently learned she had a recurrence of cancer, she attended her children’s Commencement and, like her daughter Jennifer, has recruited the student of a family friend to attend North Central College next year.
[Photo, below: Belinda, Nathaniel, Jennifer, Natalie, Ken Dust]