Undergraduate Admission
    Graduate Admission

    Featured Student


         Name: Adrian Cabrera
    Major: Information Technology and Management
    Level of Study: Undergraduate
    Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2013
    Hometown: Westmont, IL
    Transfer: College of DuPage
    High School: Downers Grove North


    Tell us your story:
    I came to IIT as a 3rd year transfer student from the College of DuPage with an Associate’s Degree in Computer Internetworking and Technology. My goal was to become a network administrator. I obtained a certification as a Cisco Certified Network Associate and a job for an IT consulting firm, all while I was at the College of DuPage, in order to gain experience in the field and get myself closer to my goal. One of the great parts of the ITM program at IIT and how it’s designed is that it allows students to become well rounded and gives them experience in some of the top areas in IT. So far I’ve taken classes in database management, programming, networking, security, management, and web development. Surprising enough, after taking these classes, I found my true passion in web development and user-centered design. Although this was not my intent to change my focus, the ITM program helped me figure out what I really want to do.


    What interested you about IIT?
     The opportunity to learn from Professors that have been in the industry. I felt that it was important to hear about their experiences in the field and learn from them.


    Projects:

    • VIPR (Virtual, Immersion, Persistence, and Reality) – My group and I reported on an audio/video conference service using the Access Grid and IP Multicast technologies installed in the Real-Time Communications Lab. We were mentored by members of Virtualosic, a small startup. We compared the performance and functionality of this system with other systems that bridge multiple high bit-rate media streams.
    • SCVMM (System Center Virtual Machine Manager) – I built an environment to store, manage, and use virtual machines that would be used by a professor and his students. In addition, it was also used as a test environment for other projects. I worked with Windows Server 2008 R2 Core, Hyper-V, and Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager. Having this environment allowed students to remotely connect to a virtual machine that had the necessary hardware and software specifications to perform labs in their class.
    • Web Design and Updates for the School of Applied Technology – As a student assistant, I have helped design web pages update content to the web for the following departments/conferences/events: ITM, INTM, RTC Lab, RTC Conference and Expo, ForenSecure, Engineer’s Week, Speakers Series, NxtGen Tech Camp, and ITMO (a new student group).


    Favorite tech item:
    iPhone (Sorry Android)


    Your proudest ITM moment:
    I came into the program focused on the networking side of IT. I was deathly afraid of programming and I already had the mindset that programming is difficult and hard to learn. I was nervous during my first semester, taking Java. This was my first programming language. It was a challenging class; however, by the end of the semester, I felt a great sense of accomplishment that I finished a class that I thought would be impossible. A lot of my success in that class was because I sought out help from my classmates, and the great teaching style of the instructor.


    If I could do 1 thing over again it would be…
    To find opportunities to learn about programming or computer networking in high school. I had not decided what I wanted to pursue as a major until a year into college. I believe if I were proactive about finding a class that taught programming or networking, I would have figured out what I wanted to do sooner, and I would have been more prepared.


    Biggest challenge:
    Over-booking myself with projects and activities. Sometimes it’s hard for me to say no to someone. I like being busy and having something to do. I have the best intentions to do a task for someone, but sometimes I over-book myself and don’t have enough time to accomplish the task.


    What do you want to do when you graduate?
    Web Development, Mobile Application Development, User-Centered Design


    Advice for other students:

    • Jobs on Campus
      If you don’t already have a job in the field, try finding a job on campus. It’s a great way to get to know faculty and administration, and more importantly, start gaining experience in your field of interest.
    • School, Work, Life Balance
      Life can get busy with school and work. Make it a point to be organized and have good time management. I have an online calendar for important dates and meetings and an assignment book to keep track of homework and tests. Set a time for when you will study and do homework, but don’t forget to have fun.  Get involved with a club, a sport, or student organization like ITMO to meet other people, go to events, and have fun.
    • Meeting People and Going Beyond Your Comfort Zone
      Meet new people in class or around campus. The people I have gotten to know here all have unique qualities and great stories that inspire you to work harder and strive for the best. Challenge yourself to do things you never thought you could do, you may surprise yourself.
    • Classes
      Don’t be intimidated by hard classes. Study with friends, take good notes, block off time to work on that class, and you’ll be fine. Remember to ask questions. More than likely, your peers have a similar question as well.


    Something that others should know about you:
    I currently work as a student assistant at the Rice Campus designing web pages and updating web content for the School of Applied Technology. I help update, create, and design pages for various departments, conferences, and other events. I also work for an IT consulting firm based in Naperville, where I travel to small-medium sized businesses and provide IT support. The responsibilities include maintaining servers and workstations, troubleshooting issues, and documentation.  


    Is it okay for other students to contact you at your IIT email?
    Yes, acabrer3@hawk.iit.edu


    More about Adrian:

    • Favorite place to study at Rice Campus:
      Louis W. Biegler Library:  there are plenty of desks and some comfy couches
    • Favorite place to study off campus:
      Starbucks at Wheaton Town Square: great place to drink coffee and do homework
    • Favorite places to eat around Rice Campus:
      Chick-fil-a, Panera, Pot Belly, Chipotle, Subway, Dickeys, and Jersey Mikes.
    • Favorite Pastime / Recreational activity:
      Basketball, volleyball, piano, trumpet, and guitar