Paying Their Success Forward

BY JENNY WEATHERHOLTZ

GERRY AND KERIANNE BEATTY

When Gerry Beatty graduated from UVM in 1987 with a BS in Computer Science, the field was still emerging, and the massive remote computing we’re all adjusting to in our new “work from home” normal was a dream, not the reality. His projects were all hands-on in Votey Hall; this valuable collaboration with professors and classmates, team-based project work and the strong connections it encouraged is what inspired him to continue with field after graduation.

Gerry began his career designing embedded controller systems for cardiac equipment but quickly discovered a passion for finance, and built a successful career at Goldman Sachs over the past 25 years, where he retired as a partner and continues to advise on strategic matters. His education at CEMS gave him the foundation to be an expert in the technology sector of his interest in finance, but also the business and communication skills to make him an effective leader. His training and technical background made his skillset especially versatile and he worked his way to leadership at Goldman Sachs with a new role, and its new challenges, every few years. He is thankful for his success and wants to pay it forward for current students; his generous gift will support experiential learning, student travel to conferences, and key strategic student support. These hands-on experiences in and out of the classroom, which make the CEMS experience unique, will shape a graduate’s success. His advice to current students: don’t close the door on any opportunity or sector until you’ve tried it. The engineering skill set is applicable in so many fields—be open to discovering an area or industry that inspires your passion. “It is crucial to acquire the technical skills, but know that how you apply those will change drastically over the course of your career, so keep learning from your colleagues and continue to work on a variety of projects to keep your skills fresh.” Roles that engineers assume in the workplace—as project managers, entrepreneurs, chief operations officers, and more—meet at the intersection of business and engineering, and require the communications and cross-disciplinary skills that he is so thankful the UVM education instills.

Gerry and Kerianne are thrilled to be able to support the institution and college that has been so foundational in realizing their goals as a family. “UVM is an incredible institution and the collaboration, team work, and connections that CEMS fosters are invaluable for career success and lifelong friendships. As a native Vermonter, I hope more high school students take advantage of this great resource in their home state.”

Inspired by Dean Linda Schadler’s vision, they look forward to future opportunities to support and volunteer with students.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES 109 VOTEY HALL, UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT 33 COLCHESTER AVENUE, BURLINGTON VT 05405

(802) 656-3392 | info@cems.uvm.edu | www.uvm.edu/cems

The bridge from Votey to Innovation Hall.

Photo: Sally McCay

FRONT COVER

Josh Bongard, Frederic Sansoz, and members of the Computer Science and Complex Systems teams are making huge strides for research in CEMS.

Photos: Sally McCay, Joshua E. Brown, and Juniper Lovato