Mark Guttman
Class Year
2012
Area(s) of Study
Computer Science and Philosophy
Hometown
Deerfield, Illinois
Co-curricular
Math and Computer Science Club
Internships
I interned for a startup developing software as a product. At the time they were a part of the prestigious startup incubator Excelerate Labs (now Techstars Chicago). The startup for which I was working was desperately bereft of technical resources, so I was afforded the rare opportunity to dive into active development right from the beginning. The startup itself was ultimately unsuccessful, but I believe I learned from that as well.
Current Job
Senior Software Engineer for Rosenthal Collins Group, LLC
How did you choose your area of study?
Carl Sagan’s quote, “We live in a society exquisitely dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.” This resonated with me and probably should resonate throughout the world.
The faculty are probably the best metric you can use to gauge the quality of a good education. You want professors who are accessible, knowledgeable and practical, but who are also effective in communicating and imparting that knowledge onto others. The faculty at Lake Forest made a positive impact on my life that I attribute much of my success to and which I will forever be grateful for.
More information to share?
At the start of my undergraduate career, I did not have the best academic track record and no hard evidence to suggest that I would be able to succeed in a field like computer science. Throughout my undergraduate and afterwards, I continue to surprise myself by what I can and have achieved. Everyone deserves a second chance, especially yourself.