Alumni Spotlight: Persinger Brothers
Justin And Jacob Persinger. Brothers United By Technology. Tinkerers By Nature. Successful IT Professionals. Southwest Tech IT-Network Communication Specialist Alumni.
Justin and Jacob Persinger. Brothers united by technology. Tinkerers by nature. Successful IT professionals. Southwest Tech IT-Network Communication Specialist Alumni.
Growing up, Justin and Jacob were curious boys who liked to tinker with computers. They would build networks, modify or fix computers, and take electronics apart wondering what they could do next. When it came time to make the big decision that would ultimately pave the way for their future, both Justin and Jacob chose a local university.
“I was pursuing something that I felt pushed to do,” stated Justin. “I was fine with the major I had picked, but “fine” wasn’t what I wanted. Looking back, I would have started at Southwest Tech in Networking, because it would have set a strong foundation in my degree path, not later when I decided to change it.”
Justin is a 2007 IT-Network Communication Specialist graduate and is currently employed at Equity Livestock in Baraboo as a Systems Administrator.
“Southwest Tech prepared me for the IT field and continuing my education,” he added. Jacob always had an interest in computers and physics. Similar to Justin, he felt pressure to attend a university if he was to achieve his career goals.
“I wasn’t prepared for what life would be like at a university,” Jacob expressed. “I was so stressed. I had difficulty making friends and hated living in the dorms. I would spend all day in class and all night studying when I wasn’t even taking my core classes. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure I had selected the right major.”
Jacob couldn’t do it anymore. He transferred his general education credits to Southwest Tech.
“My first semester at Southwest Tech, I started working directly with hardware and was able to see concepts through fruition. At the university, I hadn’t even started working with computers. Southwest Tech was immediately hands-on. I wasn’t just answering questions on a test, I was actually doing it.”
Jacob encourages those looking at colleges to consider Southwest Tech.
“I hate that there are misconceptions about technical colleges, especially Southwest Tech. I can’t believe that people feel this is a place for those that aren’t as smart or those that couldn’t get into a university. It’s the exact opposite. It’s for those who want to get directly to work and apply their knowledge.”
Jacob is a 2012 IT-Network Communication Specialist graduate and is the IT Specialist at the Department of Military Affairs in Madison.