At the Romain College of Business, alumni are making an impact on organizations and communities across the country. This edition of the alumni spotlight features Jeremy Levine, a 2024 graduate, in computer science from Gilbert, Arizona. Levine is a Software Engineer for the Platform Engineering Team at Canopy Security in Detroit, Michigan.
What brought you to USI? Baseball brought me to USI. I came to play baseball and later had the opportunity to stay involved with the program as a manager, which made my experience even more meaningful.
What made you choose computer science as your major? Ever since I was a kid playing video games, I was fascinated by how they were made. That curiosity sparked my interest in programming and eventually led me to pursue Ccomputer Sscience. Ironically, while video games inspired me to learn programming, I discovered that game development itself isn't the career path I wanted to follow.
Did any professors make an impact on you while you were in school? The entire CS/CIS department had a huge impact on me. Professors (Dr. Srishti) Srivastava, (Josh) McWilliams, (Dr. Gongjun) Yan, (Christian Will) Pinto, and (Dr. Xue) Han all played important roles in my education and helped shape both my technical skills and professional growth.
What has been the biggest joy and challenge after graduation? The biggest joy has been working in a career that I genuinely love. When you enjoy what you do every day, work doesn't feel like just another obligation; it's something I look forward to. The biggest challenge has been adjusting from student life to adult life. As everyone gets older, friends get married, start families, and become busier with work and responsibilities. Free time becomes harder to find, and balancing work, relationships, and everyday responsibilities is definitely an adjustment.
What advice would you give to current or prospective USI students? Take time to enjoy the campus. Go for walks, appreciate the natural beauty, and give yourself time to decompress. Make friends, get involved in extracurricular activities, and be social. Most importantly, enjoy your college experience because it goes by much faster than you think. It feels like I blinked, and now I'm 26. The friendships and memories I made at USI are something I'll always cherish.
Anything else you'd like to include? People often say growing older is scary, but honestly, it has been exciting. There's something rewarding about building your own life and having the freedom to pursue your goals. Don't dwell on things ending; be grateful they happened and keep moving forward. Most importantly, keep your faith in God and appreciate the people and experiences that shape your journey.