"Prior to getting my M.S. in GIST degree, I was a sales representative for an industrial distribution company, which was not related to my undergraduate degree – Urban and Regional Planning. Before I even graduated from USC, I received a job offer in the field of GIS from a company I met at the Esri User Conference. I am currently a Junior Application Developer for a GIS consultant company.
My degree has turned my career around 180°. I went from having a job I wasn’t happy with to beginning a challenging career path that I am passionate about. The programming and development skills I gained from the GIS Programming and Customization and Web GIS courses helped me stand out from competition during my job search. I also use these skills on a daily basis in my current job.
USC has many partnerships that made it easier to qualify for internships and student worker positions in the Los Angeles area. The University also provided many resources, both for education and recreation, that I was able to take advantage of. I was drawn to the USC M.S. in GIST program because the online platform made it easy to work/intern year round. Additionally, I knew of USC’s reputation for a quality education."
