IST lecturer simultaneously teaches, pursues third Penn State degree

Editor's note: This story was originally published in the College of Information Sciences and Technology's spring 2019 issue of iConnect magazine, as part of a feature story on College of IST alumni who now serve as members of the faculty in commemoration of the college's 20th anniversary. Watch for more stories to be posted this summer.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jamie Reep may be one of the only individuals who can say he is a current student, alumnus, faculty member, and former staff member in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology.

While he proudly holds this distinction, his path to Penn State was somewhat of an unconventional one.

In his home state of North Carolina, Reep had worked his way up the ranks of a small technology company where he ultimately assumed the role of vice president of technology. He had established himself in an executive management role without a college degree, crediting a little luck and a lot of hard work.

Ten years later, when he got wind that the company was planning a round of layoffs, Reep was concerned. He knew he wouldn’t land a similar job elsewhere without a bachelor’s degree, so he turned to Penn State World Campus.

“I wanted a real degree,” he said. “Penn State is world renowned. I applied the very next day.”

Still working 80 hours a week and balancing a home life with his wife and two young kids, Reep was thrilled to be able to pursue his degree in IST online.

During his final semester, he got laid off from his position. He applied to numerous jobs in the Carolinas with no luck.

“One day, I had an epiphany,” he said. “I thought, ‘Hey, I’m part of World Campus. We have this strong network. I should see what is available at Penn State.”

He applied for a web developer position in the Eberly College of Science and got an immediate callback. The rest, he said, is history.

Reep moved his family to Pennsylvania, settled into his new position, and earned his bachelor’s degree two months later. While things were going smoothly, deep down he had the desire to continue his education.

“I thought that the school thing wasn’t too bad,” he said. “I really liked learning.”

That’s when his pursuit of a doctorate began. He had maintained a great rapport with one of his online IST professors, John Hill, who put Reep in touch with then-associate dean Mike McNeese. Since Reep was a University staff member, he wasn’t eligible to work in a wage payroll research position. He opted to volunteer in McNeese’s lab instead. After a year of taking graduate courses, Reep was offered a full-time position to manage the lab. He left his position and began working in the College of IST in August 2014, during which time his doctoral cohort started.

“Not only was I here in the college getting my Ph.D., but I was an employee here at the same time,” he said. “It moved all of my bases closer together. I pretty much lived in the building.”

Soon after, Reep was offered another opportunity — teaching IST 110 online part time. His lab simultaneously disbanded, and Reep found himself looking for another full-time position. He enjoyed teaching and wanted to continue, but he learned that the college requires full-time faculty to hold at least a master’s degree.

“So I put my Ph.D. on hold and got a master’s degree and applied as a faculty member,” he said. “Here I am. I ended up getting my master’s and am five years into my Ph.D. program, which I should be finishing next year. It was such a long, protracted journey to get here.”

It is becoming more common for students to earn their bachelor’s degrees in residence, then later earn master’s degrees online. Reep did the opposite, which he says has given him a unique perspective.

“It’s changed the way I approach some topics in introductory courses, because I see how they tie into the overall degree progression,” he said. “I spend more time on some topics because I know when students get to the end, they’re going to need those components.”

He also said that his experience of learning online, and the support he had from his professors, carry over into his role as an instructor today. Since he teaches the college’s introductory course for incoming freshmen, he makes a point to encourage them to seek out their professors to get the help they need.

“I entice my students to come to my office hours,” he said. “I offer them extra credit to come talk to me in my office for 30 minutes about whatever they want. I hope it gets them out of their shell and shows that professors are real people.”

“Many of us are teaching because we have a passion to prepare students for their career after they leave here,” he said. “I’m trying to foster that real relationship with my students, and let them know that I’m as invested in their education as they are. They’re not just a number to me.”

After spending a career in the industry before he enrolled at Penn State, Reep has insight on industry needs and demands, too.

“Now is an exciting time to be a part of the College of IST because of how pervasive technology is in our world and how much more it is ever increasing,” he said. “The college is uniquely positioned to address all of those changes. Blockchain, AI, machine learning — all of those things that are the buzzwords in technology, we do it.”

“There’s technology everywhere,” he concluded. “That’s one thing I love about the college, we’re able to support the future of just about every field.”