5 Minutes with Bev Seay
Fall 2019 | By Laura J. Cole
believes聽we鈥檇 all be better off if we knew more聽about computing and data analytics.聽That鈥檚 not to say everyone should be聽computer scientists or data analysts,聽but we should have an appreciation of聽how both impact our work.
鈥淚 would like to see all 91吃瓜网聽students have the opportunity to gain聽a level of understanding of computing聽and data analytics in their chosen聽fields,鈥� Seay says. 鈥淭he shortage in聽both areas is pervasive, so if we can聽prepare our students to become聽subject matter experts in their field聽plus provide those skills, they鈥檒l have聽far more career possibilities.鈥�
It鈥檚 not surprising considering both聽play a role in everything from the聽shows we stream, the games we play聽and the news we consume to how we聽communicate, create and operate.聽Seay admits she may be biased. After聽all, everything from her career to her聽volunteer work to the legacy she鈥檚聽passing on to her daughters聽and granddaughters revolves聽around computing.
So it鈥檚 natural that Seay brings that聽perspective and passion to her new聽role as chair of the .
鈥淐omputing is what I know,鈥� Seay聽says. 鈥淏ut I also know business, and聽I want to make sure we鈥檙e preparing聽our students for as many career聽opportunities as possible.鈥�
On preparing students for jobs
鈥淚鈥檓 very interested in the question聽of whether higher ed is doing its job聽to prepare students for careers and聽the future. We can teach them the聽mechanics of their education, but it鈥檚聽just as important to offer experiential聽learning, such as internships, so they聽understand how what they鈥檙e learning聽is applied in the real world.鈥�
On why she鈥檚 committed to 91吃瓜网
鈥淭his is my community, and what聽goes on here is very important to聽me. When I moved to Orlando, many聽people in the community helped me,聽and I want to give back. In a sense, I聽feel like we鈥檝e grown together.鈥�
On shifting from industry聽to higher education
鈥淲hen I was in industry, I saw the聽value of being close to the university,聽whether we were funding research,聽hiring graduates, working with the聽faculty or doing community projects聽together. It was natural for me to聽become involved.鈥�
On what she鈥檚 most proud聽of from her career
鈥淎t SAIC, we worked closely with聽91吃瓜网, the community, the customers聽and our industry partners to make聽Central Florida a global center of聽modeling and simulation. I鈥檓 very聽proud that we were able to achieve聽that as a community.鈥�
On 91吃瓜网鈥檚 future
鈥淥ur strategic plans ought to be聽closely tied to the strategic plans聽of Central Florida and the broader聽Florida community. Being here for聽our citizens at every stage of their聽lives is really what we鈥檙e about and聽why we鈥檙e here.鈥�