My Experience at Southern Maine Community College
My experience at SMCC began in January of 2014. In the previous year I had begun experimenting with D-STAR radios (digital amateur radio) and the raspberry pi computers. Both of which rely heavily on the Linux operating system, of which I knew very little. I had some help getting going with Linux from a friend but decided I wanted to learn more about the operating system (OS).
I searched online for classes that taught the Linux OS and that’s when I came across SMCC. I registered for the class in Bath, ME in the November/December time frame of 2013. The Linux class, “Open Source Operating Systems,” was taught by Nick Marcoccio. At multiple times during the semester, Nick mentioned “Comp Tech.” I did not know to what he was referring. Eventually I asked him what he was talking about when he would say “Comp Tech.” Obviously he was referring to the Computer Technology program at SMCC, of which I knew nothing and did not know even existed.
Once I learned the program existed I decided to research it some more and found that there was a database class in the Computer Technology program being taught over that summer. I decided to register for that class as I knew nothing about databases and I knew of the Microsoft program Access but I did not know how to use it.
After registering for the database class I decided to register as a student and enroll in the Computer Technology program at SMCC. While researching the program, I found that I could make most of the classes work with my schedule. As a mechanical engineer at Bath Iron Works on first shift, the classes needed to be in the late afternoon and evening, generally speaking. Back in this time frame, BIW still offered flexibility (flex time) in our work schedule, so there was room for a class in the early afternoon.
In my first semester as a student at SMCC, two of the three classes I took were not even required for the program but I wanted them for work and personal reasons. One of these classes was Programming in C++. I took this class because back in my engineering school days I struggled with the class and promised I would take it again. It took over a decade but got it done. The other class was Spreadsheet Applications. I’ve used Microsoft Excel since I was in high school (mid 90’s) but I was never proficient in it. That changed after taking the class.
For the next three years I took three classes per semester plus one class over each summer. Working full time and taking this many classes definitely took a toll on me, especially when I got the opportunity to sign up for a dual major in Computer Science.
A year or so after enrolling in the Computer Technology program, I learned that there is a Computer Science program at SMCC. The Computer Science program really appealed to me. Many of the classes I had taken and would take in the Computer Technology program would also count toward the Computer Science program. However, the core Computer Science program classes were only offered in the morning which would not work with my schedule as flex time was taken away from us at work. During the 2016/2017 time frame, I was offered an opportunity to work second shift for a project at work. This was my chance to take the core classes I needed to also complete a degree in Computer Science. During that year to year and a half time frame, I really wore myself out being at SMCC from 8 am to 245 pm then rushing to work but was able to complete the computer science classes I needed to get the A.S in Computer Science degree.
Prior to enrolling at SMCC some of the things I did not know but wanted to learn were binary numbers, how to create a web page, and programming. I learned a lot of programming languages, C++, C#, Java, PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, Visual Basic/VBA, and some Linux and Windows Scripting. The four classes that will always stand out in my mind though are Advanced Web Design, Programming in C#, Scripting for the Web (JavaScript), and Cisco Routing and Switching.
Advanced Web Design built on the basics of web design simultaneously reinforcing what was previously learned. The class exposed me to much of what is at the core of website design today.
Programming in C# was truly the culmination of what I learned in all the previous programming classes. I was able to incorporate what I had already learned into the very powerful programming language of C# to query data from websites using APIs, processing the data, encoding the data into the correct format, and sending the data for storage onto another platform’s database. I found that to be very rewarding.
Scripting for the Web (JavaScript) was a fun and challenging language that helped me experience the power of the web and the power of APIs, in particular Google’s APIs. The power to manipulate websites using JavaScript is a very useful tool to have in the toolbox.
Cisco Routing and Switching gave me the knowledge of how networks are created and managed. It was a very hands on class with their packet tracer program.
As I finish writing this essay for CMIT 295, I can say that I’ve taken most of the classes I wanted to take and only require CMIT 220 to complete my A. A. S. in Computer Technology. Looking back at what I’ve learned and the teachers I’ve got to meet has been a great experience that I would regret had I not gone down this path. However, it came at some loss. Every weekend was consumed with studying and homework. I have missed out on many of the things I enjoy doing and there are friends that I have not spent much time with so I could complete my classes.
Throughout my experience at SMCC there was one big driver to get these degrees and that was the terrible economy and the feeling of a lack of job security. In 2011 I saw many engineers get laid off from work and that memory still stings today. With that painful feeling still in me, it drove me to get more education and improve my resume. Here I am today with a computer science degree and only one class away from a computer technology degree to add to my resume.