“The professors get to know both you and your interests.”
— Sara Doan
Being a computer science major at Allegheny College has been a very personalized experience for Sara Doan. “The department is comprised of four professors,” says Sara, “and you get to know them all so well through the various classes you take. I know I can always go to talk with them and ask them questions, both inside and outside of office hours.”
Sara claims that the prospects offered by the computer science department are personalized as well. “You’re constantly receiving offers for opportunities to do research or internships because the professors get to know both you and your interests,” she explains. “It greatly helps to open doors.” One opportunity Sara herself has taken advantage of has been working as a co-principal investigator in an effort by Allegheny’s computer science department to design a usable 3D printer for blind students. She has also presented her own research at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing conference in Atlanta, Georgia and served as a programmer for the Sheridan Programming Guild in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Outside of the classroom, Sara plays for Allegheny’s varsity softball team and serves as the secretary for the Association of Computing Machinery. Both an Alden Scholar and an NFCA All-American Scholar-Athlete, Sara prides herself on being able to balance her various roles on campus. “Being both an athlete and a scientist is common at Allegheny” she says. “Students at Allegheny manage to be involved with many things but still excel at their schoolwork. It’s something that makes us stand out.”