Jordan Di Marcantonio sees his June 12 convocation as a turning point in his life.
The Dean’s Award winner for the School of Media, who transferred from Brock University at the start of his third year to study Computer Programming at Niagara College, said is a milestone he’s reached thanks to “wonderful” professors who wanted to see him learn and succeed, and now he’s ready to begin his career.
Despite being an introvert, Di Marcantonio said he felt like he belonged at NC because of the staff, faculty and students who always made him comfortable. And as he prepared to cross the stage on June 12 to receive his diploma and be presented with his Dean’s Award, Di Marcantonio recalled the people who’ve inspired him and who he credits with much of his academic achievements.
“My amazing friends that I met online – Mateo, Bean, Gabriel, Peb and especially Julian – taught me so much,” he said. “I also can’t forget my girlfriend, Niharika, for always being there for me.”
Jordan DiMarcantonio
Academic achievement: Dean’s Award Winner, School of Media
How do you feel about receiving the Dean’s Award, achieving the highest GPA in your program?
I think its cool! To me, college is more about what you learn than the awards you get from it. This is much like how life is about the journey and not the destination. I’m happier about what I’ve learned, how I can make it use of it in my life and, most importantly, the amazing people I have met along the way.
Do you have any guests in the audience who will be cheering you on?
Yes, my Nonna and Nonno, Francesca and Sergio Di Marcantonio, and my girlfriend, Niharika Sharma. Her graduation ceremony (is) on Friday June 14.
What led you to study at NC and to your program of study?
I wanted more practical experience as opposed to theoretical. Studying at Brock University, it was really when I went through my co-op terms at the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) that I realized how much more beneficial and fun it was doing practical studies.
Why are you passionate about your field of study?
I think that making new things is really awesome, and having the skills to be able to automate or improve an otherwise boring task or process is extremely valuable, both personally and professionally. I also like how programming mends very well with my hobby of gaming in terms of making my own games or (modifying) something existing. I learned so much from making a custom Minecraft server with my friends, and being able to use Minecraft to visualize what I was programming made it so much easier to understand.
Do you have a specific career goal in mind when you enrolled in your program?
I really wanted to return back to the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario – and that is now where I happily work!
Did you face and overcome any challenges to graduate?
The balancing was a little difficult at times. It was my first time working while studying. I worked in the Walker Advanced Manufacturing and Innovation Centre here at the college.
Were you involved in any clubs/teams or extracurricular activities during your time at NC?
No clubs or teams, but I was a peer tutor in my last semester.
Do you feel your NC experience has helped prepare you for the future?
Yes, (the) experience (of) working with enterprise tools (e.g., SQL Server, ASP.NET) was very beneficial.
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What have you been doing since you completed your studies at NC?
I immediately started working as an IT Systems Assistant summer student at the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO).
What’s next for you?
Learning will continue to be a life-long journey for me, most of which will be self-learning and learning from my friends as we do projects together. I’m looking forward to getting a permanent role at MTO in the near future.
