“How do you go into IT and software development with a liberal arts education?”
Alumni Noah Arevalo ‘22 and Ben Dunphy ‘19 were welcomed back to Christendom on September 17th to answer this question. In the first fall semester Life on Tap, a series of alumni interviews highlighting career options post-graduation, Arevalo and Dunphy talked to current students about their experiences working in the tech world, interviewed by Mrs. Kristin Stephens, Director of Career and Professional Development.
Noah Arevalo, a self-taught programmer, majored in mathematics and currently works as a Senior Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, while also working as a Full-Stack Developer at Longbeard, a Catholic artificial intelligence startup. Ben Dunphy ‘19, who majored in history, began programming and website-building as a child, and now works at Sole Solutions Inc. as a lead engineer for their Cognitive Operations Team.
Arevalo and Dunphy were quick to credit their Christendom education with their success in the tech world, from their well-developed problem-solving skills to their foundational use of logic.
“The big picture thinking, the logic, and the ability to think through problems is very helpful on the support desk and as a business analyst and as a software developer. It’s helpful in all aspects of the tech world,” said Dunphy.
They also touched on the various benefits and drawbacks of AI, explaining that they found it useful for organizational purposes and for basic assistance in coding, but it certainly can’t replace human ingenuity, a gift that a liberal arts education develops to its highest potential.
When asked by Mrs. Stephens how students should learn to program and code, both alumni agreed—the key was to just start. Arevalo told students to seek out online courses on their own initiative, develop a mastery of the basics, and delve deeper into tech subjects that intrigued them.
Dunphy and Arevalo acknowledged the challenge of working in tech, but assured students that they could prepare themselves well.
“If you have the ability to think critically and to hold multiple ideas, sometimes opposing, in your head, you’ll like this,” said Arevalo.
Dunphy and Arevalo have proved that Christendom alumni don’t need a degree in IT, programming, or software development to find a job in the tech world. Even though Christendom does offer mathematics and natural science majors, graduates can excel in IT-related jobs with any major from Christendom, as demonstrated by Dunphy. The skills students acquire through the rigorous liberal arts curriculum—critical thinking, thoughtful analysis of everything from great literature to mathematical formulas, research experience, and exemplary communication abilities—provide the foundation necessary for success in any field of work. Dunphy and Arevalo’s accomplishments and progress in the tech world is a testament to the strength of the Christendom education in equipping its students for any career path they choose to pursue, regardless of their major.
Their closing words of wisdom? Arevalo and Dunphy both encouraged the students to master the basics and network strategically, with Arevalo commenting, “Networking is the most important thing you do in this industry.”
Christendom’s Career and Professional Development Office offers opportunities to hear from alumni at Life on Tap at least three times a semester. In addition, students are given regular chances to attend relevant career workshops, meet with future employers, secure summer internships, and explore a plethora of career paths before they’ve even declared a major. With the support of the Career and Professional Development Office and an excellent liberal arts education, there is no career path rendered impossible with a degree from Christendom.
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Contributed by Bridget Palm ’28.
