Curricular Practical Training Student SuccessDecember 21, 2011
NIDHI PATEL
Gujarat, India
While earning her Master's in Computer Science at Stevens, Nidhi Patel gained the opportunity to work at Planet Associates, Inc. as part of the Curricular Practical Training program. At Planet, Nihdi had the incredible opportunity to support IT projects with the Pentagon through maintaining databases and making Crystal Reports on system infrastructure.
"My course work introduced the basic concepts and the CPT program prepared me to apply that knowledge to real world problems," Nidhi says. "It is an honor and achievement to be able to work with Pentagon infrastructure after graduation."
With a Master's almost behind her and a job offer already in hand, Nidhi's goal of becoming a successful developer for database administration is on the horizon.
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LISA JOSEPH
Kerala, India
 As a Curricular Practical Training student at Stevens, Lisa Joseph spent a summer on the job at Morgan Stanley while also working towards her Master's in Computer Science at Stevens. As part of the Enterprise Infrastructure team, Lisa created a Web portal that allowed users in the company to check on the status of Technology Asset Inventory Data Warehouse Engineering infrastructure.
Her internship directly led to a full-time job at Morgan Stanley, where she will be rejoining Enterprise Infrastructure as a Technical Analyst.
"In-depth courses at Stevens gave me a foundation for understanding the professional IT environment and an ability to easily adapt to new languages and technologies," Lisa reports. "They helped me meet my goal of using knowledge effectively to build a well-balanced career."
For Lisa, gaining the upper hand in her career means she'll have more opportunities to achieve success in all areas of her life. She believes strongly in using the benefits of her new position to contribute to humanitarian causes and give back to society.
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RAJDEEP SINGH GUPTA
Mumbai, India
While earning his Master's in Computer Science with a certificate in Database Management, Rajdeep Singh Gupta participated in the Curricular Practical Training program to gain additional work experience. Rajdeep participated in internships at the Bank of Tokyo and Barclays Capital, where he was able to explore different career avenues in the field.
At the Bank of Tokyo, Rajdeep worked as a data analyst and created the mapping and workflow for different tasks related to data migration and warehousing. He enhanced his web development skills at Barclays Capital as a technical analyst, creating and enhancing company Web pages by incorporating the latest technologies and reviewing usage analytics.
Rajdeep credits the Curricular Practical Training experiences with improving his skills in problem solving, time management, business practices, and teamwork. These hands-on experiences were supported by coursework that provided him with a foundation in Web programming, data management, and database optimization.
Extracurricular professional activities like networking events also gave him unique opportunities for personal development outside both the office and the classroom.
The most fundamental value Rajdeep gained from the CPT program was the ability to combine a high level of technical expertise with a cutting-edge professional aptitude. This fits perfectly with his long-term goals.
"In my career, I want to apply the technical skill set I learned at Stevens, but also blend these skills with knowledge I learned about the business side of the industry," Rajdeep says. "Stevens has created a curiosity that will help me to keep learning and become a better professional."
With a Master's degree in sight and valuable internships under his belt, Rajdeep is well on his way to achieving these goals: after graduation, he will be joining Barclays Capital as a full-time technical analyst.
Visit the Computer Science Curricular Practical Training Web site to learn how you can make a contribution to your own education and career.
