Penn College IT student embraces opportunities

Parker J. Conn describes himself as a “run-of-the-mill computer nerd.” The effort and experiences of the Pennsylvania College of Technology student – from academic achievement to campus service to international travel – belie his modest characterization.

The Boalsburg native could participate in the college’s Dec. 16 commencement ceremony, as he’s fulfilled the requirements for the software development & information management bachelor’s degree. But he’s waiting until May to don his cap and gown. That’s when he’ll finish coursework in information assurance & cyber security. Conn will be the first student in several years to graduate with both bachelor’s degrees.

“Parker is a dedicated student with not only natural talent but striking curiosity about learning software development and cyber security,” described Sandra Gorka, professor of computer science and department head for information technology.

“We don’t typically see IT students get this combination of bachelor’s degrees,” added Stacey C. Hampton, assistant dean of industrial and computer technologies. “With some meticulous planning, Parker is taking just an extra year to obtain both degrees. It’s impressive.”

The planning began shortly after Conn enrolled at Penn College in the fall of 2019 in pursuit of an IT career. His father, a system administrator for Penn State, and a slew of networking, security and programming classes taken in high school inspired his choice of profession.

“It was like the second week of college that I decided to just throw in the other major,” Conn said. “There’s a lot of overlap between them. I love programming, and I enjoy cyber security. And having both perspectives when I go into the field will allow me to take a leadership role.”

Since graduating from high school, Conn has worked in the field part time for Minitab, a State College-based software development company that specializes in statistical analysis. Conn’s recently completed senior project for the software development & information management degree – an app dubbed “FunNearby” – builds on his experience at Minitab.

“My goal was to prove that I could make a Rest API (application programming interface), host it and communicate over the internet,” he explained.

Amazon Web Services defines a Rest API as “an interface that two computer systems use to exchange information securely over the internet.”

In Conn’s case, the information exchanged reflects his passion for travel. Users input a location and specify dates for their visit. The app responds with a listing and description of fun activities within 10 miles of the destination.

“The simplicity of Parker’s user interface produced an easy-to-use aid for travelers to explore entertainment opportunities all over the world,” Gorka said.

The app’s results feature filtered information culled from Google Maps.

“It doesn’t include places that have low (Google) ratings. It’s not going to show you every single type of place within 10 miles. It’s only going to show you the fun ones such as restaurants, clubs or parks,” Conn said.

The Dean’s List student refers to the app as his proudest accomplishment at Penn College. “Being able to do every single piece of it, being able to write the front end and the back end, I’ve done all those pieces independently at work but never put them all together,” he explained. “The project shows what you’re capable of. You have to work for it, and I think that’s what I love.”

Overseas travel inspired the “FunNearby” app. Conn has visited eight countries during the past few years, including Thailand and Mexico as part of Habitat for Humanity trips. He’s experienced Europe by cruising up the Danube River from Hungary to Germany. Next on his itinerary is Greece, a 10-day excursion scheduled for winter break.

“It’s fun to meet new people, see new cultures and experience the world,” he said.

Conn plans to employ “FunNearby” while in Greece but has no intention of making it commercially available because he doesn’t want to absorb the cost of hosting the app. Plus, he’ll need to devote his time during the spring semester to multiple projects required to complete the information assurance & cyber security degree.

That curriculum has provided a surprising benefit.

“The security degree has improved my writing ability tenfold,” he said. “There’s so much policy and technical documentation that you need to write.”

Writing skills weren’t the only attribute Conn needed to enhance when he arrived at Penn College. “I don’t think my interpersonal abilities, my confidence in speaking with other people, were all that good,” he admitted.

Thanks to his experience as a resident assistant, that’s no longer the case. The role requires him to serve as a trusted resource and confidante for a wide range of on-campus students.

“Taking the RA role was my way of forcing myself to learn those abilities. Now I connect well with people. I’m comfortable talking with people. I’ve learned a lot of leadership skills,” Conn said. “I like to do things that I know I can’t do, so I have to learn them.”

His willingness to embrace challenges will serve Conn well as an IT professional, according to Gorka.

“IT as a discipline is all about problem solving. Technology is often created without great regard to how it will be used or integrated into existing systems and processes,” she said. “IT professionals are usually the ones who must take what the user is trying to accomplish, matching it with the appropriate technologies and solving the inherent problems with implementing and integrating those technologies.”

After graduating in May, Conn hopes to work as a software engineer before advancing to roles that will allow him to combine his leadership abilities and code-writing skills. He believes the technical expertise gained at the college, coupled with his other endeavors, will greatly support his pursuit of that goal.

Hampton agreed.

“I think Parker has fully embraced the college experience during his time at Penn College. He’s gone above and beyond in his academic endeavors and sought out ways to engage himself outside the classroom,” she said. “His varied experiences serve him well to be successful in industry.”

Experiences that are hardly “run of the mill.”

To learn more about information technology majors and other degrees offered by Penn College’s School of Engineering Technologies, call 570-327-4520.

Penn College is a national leader in applied technology education. Email the Admissions Office or call toll-free 800-367-9222.