For the past two years, Gail Gere has served as director of program development for information technology and has been responsible for establishing the new master’s program in IT. The IT master’s program is already the fifth largest master’s program on campus and has seen a “meteoric rise in numbers” in recent years, said Gere. “It’s a highly successful degree that we would like to see continue to serve [a] good purpose for students. We have to see how well it meshes with other programs at the moment.”
The most significant changes in the IT master’s program that Gere has been instrumental in implementing are having students from a variety of specialization disciplines work together on an interdisciplinary project and increasing the number of specialization courses from three to four.
Gere was satisfied that the IT program’s office was constructed in the Lally Building right near the Department of Computer Science, since many IT majors have a specialization in computer science. “It’s been helpful to be on the same floor as computer science,” said Gere.
In her current position of program development director, Gere most enjoys being able to see the full process of students completing their degrees. “After 22 years of paper pushing ... It’s so rewarding [to work one on one with students],” said Gere. “[I appreciate] the intelligence of students and faculty—that interaction with their minds—and the caliber of my administration colleagues.” She is pleased to now be able to see the process of a student progressing from the first year to graduation.
Prior to joining the IT department, Gere worked for 22 years in enrollment, first as director of academic and enrollment services for the Graduate School and then as director of enrollment research in the Enrollment Management Division. “[It’s been] rewarding for me [with] 22 years as director of graduate admission. [I was] hired into the position because [it was] a unique new program that needed growth and refinement,” said Gere. “[The administration sought] my experience ... to make sure it went well.”
Working at Rensselaer, Gere most enjoys the friendly atmosphere and motivating environment around her. “I can’t imagine being in this stimulating environment at a nine to five corporation,” said Gere. She is pleased that “RPI [has had] a good group of undergraduates staying for the fifth year,” which President George Lowe had suggested. Gere owns one dog and two cats, both of which are rescue animals. She also has some fish.
