About a decade ago, I was becoming disenchanted with my time in the computer industry. It wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t me anymore. After some serious soul searching, I decided to turn my hobby into my next career – but I knew that I needed formal education and training. After some careful research, I narrowed down my choices to two: UC Davis and Oregon State University. Both schools have top-tier records in my new field but it was the Open Source Lab that tipped the balance. After moving to Oregon I haven’t once looked back. | After establishing residency and completing my associate degrees (all three) at PCC, I finally moved to Corvallis. I sent Lance my resume in February of 2013 and was hired the following month as a student software developer. The staff was welcoming and the students were amazing and inspirational. I felt like I was right where I needed to be. I was surprised at how much pleasure I took from mentoring so I got involved with Google’s Summer of Code program which was a great experience. I even grew so attached to one of my projects that I still support it long after it transitioned to another lab. Yay PGD! | But all good things must come to an end. After finishing my undergrad work, I went on an internship and came back to start graduate school. I suspected then that I wouldn’t be able to have my cake and eat it too and that I would have to cut back on my commitments once my research got started, and my time at the OSL would probably be the first to go. This suspicion was reinforced after my daughter was born last January and again by the financial situation about which we all know. I decided to wait to resign until after the summer in case I was needed to help with the transition and now the summer is over. I want to thank all the students with whom I have worked at the OSL. You’re what makes the lab what it is: a finishing school for the finest students at Oregon State. I am proud to have worked with you as you launch your careers and I firmly believe that you will continue making the world a better place.

Jack.