Computer Science

Tennessee Tech freshman computer science major Franklin Doane doesn’t like to waste time – especially when it comes to career opportunities.

His ambition paid off when he landed an internship with DEVCOM, the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, after going to a campus career fair in the fall of 2023 – his first semester at Tech.

“I am very excited about this opportunity,” said the Chicago suburbs native, who moved from Glen Ellyn, Ill., to Murfreesboro in 2021 and graduated high school as a homeschooler in 2023. 

Gerald Gannod, Ph.D., chair of Tech’s Department of Computer Science, said Doane is a great example of what students – even those in their first year of study – can achieve with a determined mindset.

“Many students often tell me they are not going to attend the career fair because they feel like they don’t know enough yet,” he said. “It is a myth that companies are only looking for experienced students. Companies are interested in candidates that show initiative, are ready to learn and can demonstrate the grit needed to be successful. At the very least, I encourage students to use the career fair as an opportunity to get practice talking to recruiters and to get tips on what will make them a competitive future candidate for employment.”

Doane answered these questions about his experience:

Q: How did this opportunity come about?

A: To be honest, I attended the career fair not really expecting to get an internship, but I wanted to try anyway. I spoke to a representative from DEVCOM, and he said they were willing to accept freshmen and even looking for them. We spoke for a while, and he seemed interested in my code projects, particularly the ones pertaining to neural networks. A month or so later, I got an email asking me to come to Huntsville, Ala., and interview members of their team. It was a cool experience. I got a chance to tour their facilities along with other prospective interns. Just recently, they made me an offer.

Q: What inspired you to pursue this internship as a freshman rather than waiting until later?

A: I would consider myself a very career-oriented person. For example, my choice to go to Tennessee Tech was at the very last minute. My previous plan was to go to community college and work on certifications or personal projects on the side so I could move into the workforce as quickly as possible. So, when I came to Tech, I didn't want to waste any opportunity to maybe get a job, even if it was a low chance of success.

Q: What will you be doing at DEVCOM?

A: I will be working at the Aviation and Missile Center with a division of DEVCOM called the Software, Simulation, Systems Engineering and Integration Directorate (S3I). The team at S3I that extended the offer to me is working with artificial intelligence. Specifically, they have a project where they are developing weapons systems that use deep learning neural networks to interpret radar data and categorize different projectiles so that appropriate defenses can be used. In other words, they are using AI to recognize different types of missiles. I'm not sure exactly what my place on this team will be, but I have been told that DEVCOM does not hire interns to just get coffee and take calls.

Q: How did Tennessee Tech’s Department of Computer Science prepare you for this internship?

A: The biggest way was through CSC 1300 (Introduction to Problem Solving and Computer Programming). I had very limited experience with C++ prior to this last semester. This will be crucial for me going forward at DEVCOM. Besides that, crafting my resume and some of the skills I learned in my CSC 1020 (Connections to Computing) class helped me to present myself to DEVCOM representatives at the career fair and have more confidence.

Q: What do you hope to gain from this opportunity?

A: I hope to gain experience and learn skills from a real-life workplace, not just a classroom. This opportunity to work with employers in my field should also be helpful in securing future internships and jobs. Also, I am a broke college student, and this is a paid position. I would be lying if I didn’t say I am looking forward to getting paid.

Q: What is your computer science concentration area at Tech?

A: I am concentrating in data science and artificial intelligence. The AI concentration is part of the reason I picked Tennessee Tech. AI is my personal passion, and the fact that I get to work with it is part of the reason I am so excited about this internship.

Q: What else would you like to add?

A: I spend a lot of my time writing code, but besides that I am a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blue belt, kickboxer, and I love solving Rubik’s cubes. Also, I have never met anyone who is better than me at Wii Tennis.

Computer science is Tennessee Tech University’s number one undergraduate degree program by enrollment and the largest of eight academic departments within the College of Engineering. Concentration options include data science and artificial intelligence; information assurance and cybersecurity; and high-performance computing. Learn more at tntech.edu/engineering/csc.

Tech career fairs, hosted each semester by the university’s Center for Career Development, attract hundreds of companies that seek to hire computer science majors of varying experience levels – including freshmen – for internships and co-operative education programs.