by Courtney Durst ’19
Ryan Kruse can’t talk about his internship with the U.S. Department of Defense. Kruse, a computer science and mathematics major from St. Clair, Minn., recently completed the classified internship in Maryland. “I spent the summer applying the things I learned in my first two years at Central to real-world, mission-critical problems,” says Kruse.
The extraordinary opportunity is thanks to several Central College professors, Kruse says, who helped him discover his potential and prepare for professional career opportunities.
Kruse found his first exclusive opportunity during his freshman year — a 5-week research program in Hawaii, introduced to him by associate professor of mathematics Russ Goodman. Researching neuroscience and math applications in Hawaii was a dream come true for Kruse, who once believed he was unqualified for the nation’s top internship opportunities.
Ryan Kruse, third from left, is pictured with his math and neuroscience research group in Hawaii.
“Just put yourself out there, even if you’re not sure you’re qualified,” Kruse now says. He’s learned from experience that many professors, like Goodman, are willing to sit down with students and support their pursuit of internships and research experiences.
Now a junior, Kruse knows anything is possible if you simply apply for the opportunities you are interested in and seek help from expert professors.
Central professors didn’t just prepare him to land unique opportunities, Kruse says, but also to excel when he arrived. “I’d already studied the programming language we used in both of my internships during my first two years at Central,” Kruse says.
Now, several of his professors have helped Kruse grow by providing coursework challenging enough to prepare him for the possibility of graduate school next spring.
Kruse, left, explores Washington, D.C., while interning with the U.S. Department of Defense.
And within the mathematics department, professors often ask upper-level students to share their research and internship experiences with entry-level students who might be interested in pursuing similar opportunities. “We try to take advantage of students who have already had those experiences because students are the best recruiters,” Goodman says.
Kruse, a three-year track and field athlete, writing tutor and honors student, embodies Central’s commitment to intellectual curiosity, high academic performance and strong relationships with professors, says Goodman.
And for students who take advantage of Central’s strong faculty support and social networks, the sky is the limit.