“The computer science program at Pacific is pretty intense...”

Donald Pursley didn't have to travel far from Gaston, Oregon, to find a University that would meet his expectations. “The computer science program at Pacific is pretty intense,” he says. “They expect a lot from their students and I feel I've grown significantly because of it.” In addition to a strong computer science program, Donald was drawn to Pacific because of the intimate class sizes. “It's really true that you have more of a connection with faculty here. But you have to make the effort; you're responsible to get the most out of your college experience,” he says. 

Donald also speaks fondly of the friendships he's formed at Pacific—playing pool with Greek Life fraternity brothers, or hanging out with the computer science club.

“We meet once a week,” Donald says. “Sometimes we have alumni come in to talk about what they've done with their degree, give us helpful advice about their work experiences.”

Alongside his courses, Donald works as part of the network group for University Information Services where he helps configure and maintain the wireless on campus. Now, concentrating on his senior project of creating an application for network management, Donald is confident that his degree and work experience has prepared him for a good career in computer science. “I plan on entering the work force immediately,” he says. “I'm ready for the next stage of my life.”