A Reflection
2012 was a good year for me and consisted of many monumental changes – for the first time since 1994, I am no longer considered a full-time student.

In May 2012, I walked across the stage inside of the Gordon Field House at the Rochester Institute of Technology to accept my diploma for a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology. Just one week later, I began my first full-time job at NimbleUser, a Rochester-based company focused on providing technology solutions to associations. I am currently working as a product developer for NimbleAMS, an Association Management Software application built on the Salesforce platform.

The saying that “you never stop learning” is definitely true. In November, I went for the Salesforce Developer certification and successfully passed! It brought back many memories of finals studying, but it was well worth the time and effort. It’s hard to believe that seven months have already gone by since my introduction to the Salesforce world.

Work Hard But Have Fun, Too

While 2012 was a great beginning to my career, it was also a good year in other areas of my life. I love traveling (especially when I have friends who live in different parts of the country!), and I embarked on trips to Toronto, the Bahamas, Washington, D.C., Seattle, and Rhode Island. With the exception of Washington D.C., these are all places that I had never visited previously. My trip to the Bahamas was through Carnival, and it was the first time that any of us had been on a cruise.

My senior year of college also enabled me to get more connected to the Rochester area. During the winter and spring, I participated in a two quarter learning community in conjunction with RIT’s University Community Partnerships and the Bridges to Wellness program in Northeast Rochester. The learning community was comprised of a mix of RIT students and local youth that worked together to produce videos on healthy living through exercise, eating, safety, and effective communication. It was one of the most rewarding and fun experiences of my college years, and I am actively trying to find other ways to stay involved in the Rochester community now that I am no longer a part of the program.

Looking Ahead
It will be hard to beat 2012, but I’m excited to see how the adventures of 2013 will unfold. I have several plans and goals for the upcoming year – as well as a few “New Year’s Resolutions” – of which I will cover in another update soon.

Happy 2013!
– Robert