Mathematics & Computer Science - Life After MC

Alumni Highlight

Name: Joy Bailey Hutson '99 
Major: Math

Education after MC: One year of graduate work in Mathematics at UT Knoxville while waiting for my husband, Murph (a.k.a. Travis K. Hutson ’00) to graduate from MC in 2000. Then, I went on to complete a Master of Statistics at North Carolina State University--Go Wolfpack! 
Current Title: Statistician
Current Employer/Institution: National Safe Skies Alliance
Web site: www.sskies.org

 

Q: What have you recently achieved in your career or life that you’re especially proud of?

A: I am proud of the fact that I have participated in the testing and evaluation of over 35 security systems and devices throughout my four-year tenure at Safe Skies in order to increase aviation security and ensure the safety of the traveling public. Over the past year, I was honored to have the opportunity to mentor and help train a fellow MC math graduate, Meg Graham ‘04, as she completed a statistical internship and started fulltime employment at Safe Skies.

I am also proud that I have been able to apply my problem-solving and statistical knowledge to areas of my life outside of my career. Most recently, I applied my skills in an effort to help my church better improve the worship experience of its members through a congregational survey. I find fulfillment in using my skills to help people and to make a lasting contribution to the greater good, and my goal is to find more ways to do this in the near future. 

Q: In what ways did your MC experience prepare you for your current vocation?

A: I could not effectively complete my day-to-day tasks without my ability to work with a team to accomplish project objectives—a skill honed both in the classroom and through my work with Alternative Spring Break, Student Programming Board, Residence Life and the Academic Life Council at MC. My Senior Study work also helped prepare me for the technical writing, programming and data analysis that I carry out every day.

Q: Thing you love most about what you do now:

A: Opportunity to travel – Anchorage, Alaska; Santa Ana, CA; Boston, MA; Montreal, Canada; Seattle, WA and more!

Q: Favorite courses at MC:

A: Probability and Statistics, Differential Equations, LIT 270, J-term class in Spain, “On the Trail of Don Quixote” & Modern Physics

Q: One thing you’ll never forget about MC:

A: There are so many things I will never forget about MC, but one of the most important is the genuine commitment of MC staff and faculty to help every student who puts forth effort to reach his/her goals and to become the best well-rounded person possible. The mentoring and guidance I received are priceless. As my college and career goals evolved, Dr. Dent, Dr. Nichols, Dr. Bay and Martha Hess were always there to help make sure I was getting the classes, advice, and emotional support I needed. I’ll never forget the amount of time Dr. Dent spent with me in advisee sessions and how he used to keep a stack of drop/add forms in my file! I am eternally grateful to Dr. Paul Warne for connecting me with Dr. Suzanne Lenhart at UTK, a researcher in the forefront of Optimal Control Theory, and working with her to help me generate a thesis of which I am extremely proud. Finally, I was blessed to meet my husband Murph through MC Math and Computer Science Club functions—I know, “what math geeks!” I still call upon my former MC professors and confidants for advice. My experiences at MC are very much a part of who I have become; thus, I leave a piece of MC in almost everything I do.

Recent Graduate/Career Data

NAME MC DEGREE FIELD INSTITUTION/LOCATION
Billings,
Adam		 Mathematics Mortgage Banker First Residential Mortgage Network, Inc.
Louisville, KY.
Chikhaoui, Khaled Computer Science / Mathematics M. S. in System Engineering Concordia University, Montreal, Canada
Davis,
Beth 		Math for Teacher Licensure Teaching high school mathematics Oneida, TN.
Floyd, Donnie Computer Science/ Mathematics Teaching technology education, wrestling head coach Bearden High School, Knoxville, TN
Fowler, Beth Mathematics M. S. in Mathematics UTK
Gilland,
Trent		 Mathematics Forecast Analyst Family Dollar Matthews, NC.
Graham,
Meg 		Computer Science/
Mathematics		 M.S. Statistics, Statistician National Safe Skies Alliance
Alcoa, TN.
Harris,
Kyle 		Mathematics M.S. in Education UTK
Higginbotham, Allison Computer Science/
Mathematics		 M.S. in Computer Engineering UTK
Khomenko,
Andrey 		Computer Science/
Mathematics		 M.S.; Software Engineer Daxor Corp., Oak Ridge, TN
Lee,
Nate 		Mathematics for Teacher Licensure Mathematics Teacher Maryville High School,
Maryville, TN
Mann, Tomas Computer Science / Mathematics M.S. in Computer Science Florida State University
Masterson,
Andrew 		Computer Science/
Mathematics		 M.S.; Software Quality Assurance ACS, Nashville, TN
Masterson (Cook), Julie Mathematics Pharm. D, (pharmacotherapy) Belmont University, Nashville, TN
Millard,
Kim		 Mathematics M.S. in Financial Mathematics Florida State University
Minihan,
Jessica 		Computer Science/
Mathematics		 M.S. in Information Science UTK
Nguyen, Trung Computer Science / Mathematics QTP Automation Testing Engineer Wells Fargo, Fremont, CA
O’Neal,
Sara 		Computer Science/
Mathematics		 M.S. in Computer Science UTK
Peacock,
Ben 		Computer Science/
Business		 J.D. UTK
Presley,
Cameron		 Computer Science and Mathematics Software Developer Epic Systems Corporation, Madison, WI
Smith,
Hayley 		Mathematics Auditor Pugh and Company, P.C.
Knoxville, TN.
Smith,
Tripp 		Engineering Civil Engineer Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.
Nashville, TN.
Sylvester, Elliott Computer Science / Mathematics M.S. in Computer Science University of Southern California
Veale (Neifert), Stevie Computer Science / Business Management, International Logistics Dollar General, White House, TN
Weiss,
Melissa		 Mathematics M.S. in
Earth & Atmospheric Sciences		 Georgia Tech