AROUND THE CENTER
Staff Feature: Grayden MacLennan, Technology Specialist
Q: You've been with the Center for nearly three years. What was the career path that led you to your current position?
A: I've been working in computer support roles at CWRU pretty much since my freshman undergraduate year. I worked my way up to Senior Microcomputer Support Specialist as a part-timer at User Support, back in the days before it was absorbed into PerceptIS. After I graduated I took a two-year detour into the hard science field, working as a lab technician in Pathology. I kept working with computers there in some peripheral ways, building up my skills as a web developer and keeping all of the computer systems in my lab running. At one point I was even working on a web-based database of all of the antibodies we used in our research. When I saw a chance to get back into the computer field, I jumped on it. I think I had a bit of an advantage when I applied for this job because I already knew a huge amount about how our network is structured, what resources are available to network users, and I already knew most of the IT people around campus from my previous experience at User Support.
Q: Tell us a bit about what you do at the Center.
A: I am the Center's Technology Specialist. In essence I'm a one-man in-house IT department. My job involves website development, technical support for the staff, coordination with Weatherhead, MSASS, and Central IT staff, and making sure our database is running smoothly. Basically if it plugs into the wall, I'm responsible for making sure it works.
Q: What do you like best about working at the Mandel Center?
A: I'd say that hands down, the staff is the best part of working here. I've never been with such a fun group of people. It really feels like a family here.
Q: On top of being a staff member, you are also still a student at CWRU, are you not?
A: I actually have a triple designation as simultaneous alumnus, student, and staff. If I could get some kind of teaching role I could collect the whole set by adding "faculty" to the list too! In all seriousness though, yes, after I finished my undergraduate work here, I jumped right into a part-time graduate program at Weatherhead. Right now I am working on the last semester of a dual degree program in which I'll be earning an MBA and a Master of Science in Management Information Systems.
Q: Are you involved in any other aspects of campus life?
A: I've served as Staff Advisor for the CWRU Aikido Club for several years now, and I hold the rank of 5th kyu in aikido, though I'm rather out of practice right now. I was even Staff Advisor for a group that put together a club to play the video game Dance Dance Revolution a few years ago. Lately I've been getting heavily involved in CWRU Swing Club. Swing dancing is taking over my life.
Q: Oh? How is that?
A: Well, I've found that swing ties together all of the aspects I like about aikido (frame, connection, precision and fluidity of movement) and marries them together with a social connection and great music. Since I started last August, I won a competition for first-year dancers, and I was selected to dance with Swing Club's team for Extravadance in April. Besides the weekly lessons at Case, I'm taking regular outside lessons as well. I've traveled to several different cities now for dance exchanges and weekend workshops as well. I've danced in Pittsburgh, Columbus, Athens, Oberlin, and Toronto so far, with plans to go to events in Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Akron. I even managed to swing dance in Beijing, China while I was there as part of the Weatherhead School of Management's International Institutes program.
Q: What other hobbies are you currently involved in?
A: I enjoy photography quite a bit. While I was in China I took over 1200 photos, and I have thousands of snapshots from over the years before that. I've played around with art photography with some success, but most of my collection is just candid photos of what's going on in my life. I also enjoy bicycling a great deal. When the weather isn't too frigid or wet, I'll often commute by bike the four miles to and from campus. A bicycle really is the best form of transportation around the University Circle area.
