Eric M.
Private tutor in Indianapolis, IN
Education
I received a BS in Computer Science from Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, IN (1979). My emphasis on classes taken was Math, Accounting, and Office Administration. I don't recall exactly what my GPA was, but I believe it was around a 3.3 out of a 4.0. I was on the President's and Dean's List a couple of times.
Experience
I would like to start this out with a "story" about a time I was in high school, and our math teacher (my favorite, by-the-way) gave us a problem to solve. He asked us to add up all of the numbers from 1 through 100. Now, it is my nature to find "shortcuts" to math related processes, when I can determine them. So, as the other students in the classroom started writing down the numbers, and adding them up, I stared at the numbers on the chalkboard. Something "clicked" with me after a minute or less, and I wrote down a figure on a paper on my desk. Our math teacher regularly gave us tests with "bonus" questions, and I normally got 120+ % on my tests, and I expected myself to perform that well each time. Because of this, our teacher knew of my math abilities. So when he came over to check what I had wrote down, he smiled and said it was correct. My other classmates, who were still busy adding up the numbers, looked at me with bewilderment as if to say, "how did you do that?", ... and some actually did say that. What's interesting, is this is the same thing that happened to Carl Gauss (mathematician extraordinaire - 1777-1855), when his instructor gave the same problem to his students, thinking he could keep them busy for a while, and Gauss came up with the answer so quickly, that his instructor initially thought he was "cheating". But in my instance, I had never heard of Gauss, or his formula for adding such numbers, ... but I came to the same conclusion (which he did) on my own. After a while, my teacher had me go up to the front of the class, and explain how I came up with the answer so quickly. I always enjoy the challenge of taking math processes, and produce results quicker than were previously expected, and I think that is why I was drawn to computer technology as a possible career. Right out of college, I worked in an accounting/IT role, where I improved the processing time of their Bill-of-Materials 20-fold. Later, as an IT Consultant, I helped set up an IT system for a company, and the owner liked me enough that he offered me a position with the company. I was later given the title of VP/Controller, and was there for more than 8-years. Since then, I had worked in software development, including working on an ERP system (from scratch) for the Recreational Vehicle industry in northern Indiana, ... and the telecommunications industry. I worked on the Sprint/Nextel data conversion project, where I was tasked with creating a process that took Sprint's call data records, and converted them into an Oracle DB for their billing system. That process is still in use today, as years later I had the experience of working as "Production Support" for Sprint's billing system, as well as other customers at the Amdocs complex in Champaign, IL. I also had IT contract jobs (Business, Data, and Functional Analyst positions) with the Air Force, Centurylink, US Cellular, and others. But, for myself, when I was in high school and college, I wanted to know why I was being taught something, and what "real world" purpose it had. I didn't want to learn to figure out math problems, without understanding their real-world applications. And when I make an effort to help young people with math related issues, I do my best in trying to make them understand that real-world need, and why it will help them in any future pursuits they might have. I make an effort to show young people how to think "smart" when dealing with math problems/issues, and I think that will make an impression on them, that will make them want to learn, ... as if you're giving them a "secret key" that they didn't know existed, ... and a "light bulb" comes on in their head. I hope I can make that kind of impact on your young adult.
Availability
Any day at any time
Can Meet
Up to 20 minutes away for no additional charge
Hobbies
I played tennis and basketball both in high school and college (NAIA), and enjoy watching other sports such as college and NFL football. I have always had a love for architecture, and at one time had considered going to Ball States Architectural program, after taking architectural drafting in high school. A math teacher later persuaded me to look into computer related work. I enjoy exploring the outdoors, as well as taking time to visit flee markets, garage sales, Goodwill, etc., when I have the desire to purchase something, ... or just see what people have to sell, without a real desire to purchase anything (initially!).
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