Life After Mac: Real Stories of alumni finding their way—Charlie
Weeks before the pandemic hit in 2020, I became fascinated by the 3D printers and laser machines in the McMaster Library. Teaching myself how to use them and creating my own masterpieces — I kept myself busy throughout the pandemic, buying a 3D printer myself!
As the pandemic continued, I grew increasingly interested in the power of coding and engineering. Luckily, the Kinesiology Department began offering coding-related courses during the return to campus in 2021, where my engineering interest grew bigger and bigger.
A year later I found myself in the MSc eHealth program at McMaster. The perfect mix of interdisciplinary skills combining Business, my background in Health Sciences, and my new love of engineering. What really got me was the fact that eHealth students in the past have worked at the Canadian Space Agency!
Getting into the program required prerequisite knowledge in R, SQL, and Python — skills necessary for today’s fast-changing business environment. In the program, I loaded up on machine learning and business intelligence courses to further these skills, but something was still missing. My whole life I have always asked why. Or how does that work, I wonder what would happen if…? That’s what was missing! The understanding, knowledge, and power to figure these things out for myself.
With heavy deliberation, negotiation, and being called crazy, I took a leap into another undergrad. Now, I’m one week away from finishing my Master’s ahead of schedule where I was able to make connections with the Canadian Space Agency and complete my scholarly paper on Long Duration-Deep Space & Remote Community Health Delivery. I’m also wrapping up my first year of undergrad, this time in Engineering!
I may have been called crazy, but I call it me. Being able to work part-time in an area related to my Master’s, connect with the Canadian Space Agency, and learn how things (everything) work via Engineering, I could not be more appreciative and grateful for what McMaster has allowed me to do.
While I have never truly left Mac, I am happy to say that I have found my way. And my advice for others still looking? Don’t be afraid to take that leap; if it’s your dream then go and get it. Your way could have been right in front of you this whole time — and my way is Life At Mac.
Charlie Violin
BSc Kinesiology ‘22
The Office of Alumni Engagement will be featuring recent grad’s career stories to show career paths are anything but linear. If you graduated in the last 10 years and are interested, share your story.
If you are looking to get started on your own journey, take advantage of the resources available to recent graduates through our partnership with the Student Success Centre.
