I graduated from Saint Xavier University, Chicago, in May of 1998 with a BS in Mathematics, a BA in History, and a minor in Computer Science. After attending SXU for about two semesters, I had opted to add the History Major to my academic career goals because I wanted to enhance my analytical and writing skills. I took additional Computer Science courses merely for the joy of doing so. During the years that I was an undergraduate at SXU, I was exposed to and took advantage of, a most rewarding and well-rounded academic experience. Many of my past assignments from Xav's are currently applicable in the areas within which I work, as well as within the scope of my graduate studies today. My professors were dedicated, personable, and enlightening.

Additionally, I had graduated Phi Theta Kappa from Richard J. Daley College, in May of 1993, with an AA in Business Administration. At one time, I was not even contemplating a college education for myself. However, my childhood friends, the Velesovsky's, practically forced me to take just a few courses so that I could give college a try. Interestingly enough, Mary took a not-for-credit continuing education Intro to Computers course with me, though she was full-time at The University of Illinois at Chicago, and did not need this class in any way. It's funny that after all this time, and the multitude of subjects that I will have degrees in, that I wound up with computers, which is technically where I started. I would bet that she thought that computers were for me, because I was an ace at video games when we were kids. I did not really get into computers until the fall semester of 1996 when I took an Abstract Algebra class with Dr. Susan Beal. The text book came with ISETL, a programming language for the MacIntosh platform, and I used it, though not required to, to write programs for the whole book. I absolutely fell in love with programming at that time, as I had realized the power and potentiality of it then.

          Any how, the following semester, Mary agreed to take Astronomy and Humanities with me, and arranged for me to take a Science course between these, while she took something else. Actually, I think that she sat in the Library between these courses. Then when I was not looking, she stopped taking classes with me, though I continued on. I wound up with the Associate in Business, because her sister Patty, then a full-time student at DePaul, convinced me to take about seven business courses with her in one semester. Shortly before I graduated, Mary took me to Saint Xavier to an Open House so that I could check out the school. By that time, I was pretty dedicated to having myself educated to the fullest, though after being accepted to Saint Xavier, I was not overly confident about my being able to make it to graduation. It seemed so hard at first that I used to sit in my room and cry.