_     Like most college students, I will not be graduating with the same major I started with. I began as a math major, and though I have completed that coursework, my primary major is now Computer Science. I enjoy learning and gaining knowledge, but, to be honest, sometimes learning seems to be the end goal in a lot of fields. For me, the most fulfilling aspect of learning is discovering ways in which I can apply what I am learning in the working world, and computer science is a field in which the applications are endless.

     Throughout my first semester of computer science, I discovered that the field of provides exactly what I had been looking for in a major as well as a career field. It is an area in which I never know what to expect except that every task will provide these three things: a challenge, some type of frustration and upon completion a feeling of both accomplishment and learning. I truly feel that there is no better way to spend my days than the combination of those three things.

Click the link below to view my resume. This resume was last updated on January 31, 2012.

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_     Roughly nine months ago, I was given the opportunity to work with a couple statistical programming independent contractors in the pharmaceutical industry. The goal was to give me a taste of the industry and teach me the SAS/SQL programming environment. With the help of my math and computer science background, I learned the basics of the languages and began assisting with analysis tables and real life data sets in just two weeks. Never did I imagine that I might find purpose for both my math and computer science backgrounds in the pharmaceutical industry, but that is exactly what happened.

     The dynamic nature of the industry is stimulating for me, and that simply adds to the peace of mind gained from knowing that in the bigger picture, I am doing something in which other people will benefit in the future. In a sense, I can aid in the development of beneficial drugs as well as the prevention of dangerous drugs making it to the market. I have discovered that I can play an important role in the world of public health by preparing clinical trial data for evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration.

     At this point, I feel I have found a career that fits me as well as a field in which I can acquire and apply new knowledge. Applied statistics is an area in which I already know the information applies to the working world, and I am confident it will allow me to both make a contribution to the world as well as find personal enjoyment. I have been accepted to the University of Kentucky's Graduate School in Statistics and offered a full research assistantship in their Applied Statistics Laboratory. I will complete my Master's at Kentucky and then decide whether or not to continue in their doctorate program (provided I pass necessary exams). My end goal is a position that involves data analysis programming.