Hi, I’m Jackie Christopher. I earned my BA in Mathematical Sciences combining mathematics, statistics, and computer science, as well as my MBA at Iowa, and spent 41 years in IT at John Deere. I held roles ranging from analyst programmer to division and program manager, culminating in a global effort to modernize legacy systems across 55 factories worldwide. 

Why CLAS? 

Along with the technical foundation for my career, one of the most important skills I developed was communication. In IT, I learned that success depends on being able to communicate with everyone from programmers and interns to senior executives—and to adapt your message to what each audience understands and needs to know. Explaining a technical requirement and securing approval for a multimillion-dollar project require very different approaches. 

For future graduates, technical expertise will remain important, but it works best alongside communication, leadership, business acumen, project management, and the ability to motivate and work with others. That combination of skills can prepare you not just for your first job, but for an entire career.