Graduate Profile: Chad Jenkins
Don’t take that URL at the top of the screen for granted! In 1994, alumnus Chad Jenkins had to work from scratch to create Alma College’s first official website.
“Jim Blumm and I worked together to establish it,” he says. “While it was exciting, I’ll admit our website was a bit less aesthetically pleasing than the current one.”
After majoring in computer science and mathematics at Alma College, he became a robotics expert instead of a computer programmer.
“Initially, I wanted to learn how to make video games,” says Jenkins. “I also sensed that computing had potential for innovation and wanted to be as computationally fluent as possible.”
He earned his master’s degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. in computer science from the University of Southern California. Now, he teaches robotics as an assistant professor of computer science at Brown University.
Jenkins urges incoming Alma students to take advantage of research opportunities and global experiences, among other things.
“Use your time at Alma to find your passion and form your direction in life,” he says. “Be open to new experiences and ideas, and know that any worthwhile endeavor will require perseverance.”
