The Living Lab was a life-changing experience, because this is how I got my first IT job. I gained knowledge and hands-on experience through contributions on a variety of projects for Simon Property Group. You never know all the solutions for all the problems, which makes it challenging and interesting. I went for another semester in the Living Lab, because I enjoy learning new techniques that will be valuable in the future.
Yan Grishin
The Living Lab has given me vital insight into what a career in the IT field could potentially look like. From learning to manage my time, deal with unforseen problems, and work with others, to completing group projects and meeting deadlines, the Living Lab has provided me an opportunity to learn and grow as a future IT professional.
Matthew Smerdel
The Living Lab is like having an IT job in the field. You are pushed and pulled in many different directions with many different projects. You are thrown into situations that need to be figured out. The guidance is there, but nothing beats that feeling of figuring it out by yourself.
Aaron Hook
As a non-traditional student who has 25 years experience in the working world, I value Living Lab because it teaches soft skills in addition to furthering our understanding of technology. The projects we work on are computer based, but the most important lessons are work ethic, initiative, self-sufficiency, dealing with work-related frustrations, teamwork, and time management.
Vicky Smith
The work is challenging and exercises a broad set of soft skills as well as technical skills. In working as a webmaster, the Living Lab challenges your ability to communicate, delegate, and prioritize your projects as new issues occur. Definitely a valuable set of skills for any kind of work.
Michael Thomas Draper
Living Lab is a great class to gain experience that you can apply to the real world. The small class means there is more one-on-one time with the lab instructor. The Living Lab also lets you get your hands dirty with hardware and not just focus on exams and homework. I can apply what I learned in other classes to real-world scenarios. My favorite thing about Living Lab is that I can put everything that I achieve in class on my resume, which puts me ahead of the curve with potential employers.
Bhaumik Yashesh Pandya
Living Lab gave me a chance to experience working with real-world projects, not just books and notes like other classes. In addition, I got to learn new techniques (terminate network cables, set up switches and hubs), new software (ManageEngine EventLog Analyzer), and experience a corporate environment. Finally, Living Lab gave me a chance to work on my problem-solving skills as well as self-sufficiency, because I had to do a lot of research on my own to solve any issue that came up.
Anh Pham
The Living Lab has provided a great learning environment to improve my technical skills, build my ability to work in a team, and establish my communication skills.
Lindsay Hamstra
My time in Living Lab was really beneficial because the software we learned about is used in the real world. I learned additional skills, such as being disciplined on arrival time, trying different methods to solve problems, and asking help from peers. I really enjoyed working with Snort, and using it to solve problems will help me with future projects. I look forward to what the future holds after adding this class to my resume!
Mohammed S. Iftikhar
The Living Lab is helpful because it exposed me to an environment similar to one I would face in a real IT job.
Abdulrahaman Ahmed Banjar
