ALUMNUS PURSUES HIS PASSION FOR COMPUTER PROGRAMMING

Now a lead engineer for Target®, Sean Jones rediscovered his love of computer programming in Computer & Information Technology at Lake Land.

“I decided to go back and check out Lake Land, and when I toured the Innovation Lab it was magical, like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory,” Jones said. “Scott [Rhine, IT instructor,]has such great passion for what he teaches and for helping students learn the material.”

Jones said he was interested in game design in high school, but liked literature and history too. He initially went to Lake Land for history, graduating with an associate degree in

2004. After going on to earn a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Illinois University in History with Teacher Certification, Jones said he struggled to find satisfying work.

“I know how tough my situation was and how instrumental Lake Land

was in helping get me to where I am,” Jones said. “I felt it was a silly decision to go back to junior college after earning a bachelor’s degree. However, it ended up being one of the greatest decisions of my life.”

Jones excelled in programming, helped others in the tutoring center, started an internship at Patterson Dental, and was hired full time before he graduated.

Jones said that he felt a strong sense of community throughout his time at Lake Land and felt collaboration and camaraderie with his fellow students made it “some of the best times of his life.”

“It was fun to work together with the other students and as a tutor to help others learn too,” Jones said. “When I found that it was something I could not only do but also excel at, the material became a fun challenge.”