Kelly Dobbs
Computer Science Major, Computer Systems Information Major, Business Minor
Kelly Dobbs ’16 discusses how her time as a student shaped her into her role as a Lead Programmer Analyst at SUNY Brockport.Why did you choose Brockport?
“Like a lot of teenagers in high school, when it came time to apply for college, I had no idea what I wanted to do. My brother was attending Brockport and asked me if I wanted to spend a day with him. I sat in on a sociology class and really enjoyed it. After a year, my brother convinced me to take a computer science course. I played around with HTML in high school and enjoyed it, so I tried it out. I eventually switched my major from sociology to computer information systems. I liked the idea of being the middle person between clients and programmers. As I took some more programming courses, I also realized I enjoyed coding and decided to double major in computer science. It was a lot of coursework, but I’m happy that I double majored.
A little over a year after graduating, I was hired as a Programmer Analyst at SUNY Brockport. I was recently promoted to Lead Programmer Analyst. Brockport has always felt like a home to me, so I love being able to work here. I also met my husband at Brockport, so it is a special place to me.”
What is your most significant academic accomplishment?
“The most significant academic accomplishment I had was receiving the Computer Information Systems Program Scholar Award in 2016. This award represents all of the hard work I put in during my time at Brockport.”
How has the above experience impacted your future plans?
“The Program Scholar Award was a great thing to have listed on my resume. I only had one internship during my time at Brockport, so having an award like that added something more to my resume.”
What would you tell a future student interested in your field of study?
“The most important thing is don’t be afraid of asking questions. Ask questions during class, go to office hours, and make sure you really get an understanding of the content. I also believe it is important to explore elective classes. One of my favorite courses at Brockport was an elective course. It opened my eyes to a side of technology that I wasn’t aware of and it became something I was really interested in.”
Posted: April 03, 2023