Kendall Robison ‘20 is finally nearing her long-awaited return to the city of Philadelphia. After an unexpected number of months at home in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., Robison will soon start a new journey and begin her professional career.
In early November, the computer science major will begin her job at Accenture in Center City. Accenture is a global management consulting company that uses innovation to improve and enhance their client companies, and Robison is entering into the company’s Technology Development Program as a software engineer. She brings with her an expansive understanding of the theoretics of computer science and skills in programming to help clients implement various software platforms for their businesses.
It is clear that Robison’s knowledge in her field is something she takes pride in, and something that gives her confidence as she prepares to start her new job. She credits the Computer Science Department with playing an integral role in her professional development.
“I have confidence in my ability to pick up new skills and learn as I go because of the way Haverford professors teach their courses,” she said.
During Robison’s Accenture job interview, she was asked to pitch an idea for applying artificial intelligence to a specific business industry. She was more prepared than she thought; her thesis project focused on using artificial intelligence to interpret pictures online in order to help with accessibility on websites. Thanks to her thesis work at Haverford and her advisor, Associate Professor John Dougherty, Kendall aced her interview. Not only was she able to pitch her ideas in a clear and cohesive manner thanks to presentation skills she honed at Haverford, but she also had several months’ worth of topical knowledge and research right in her back pocket.
One of the things she is most looking forward to at Accenture is working with clients in a variety of industries. She is also hoping to explore different aspects of software engineering to get a better feel for where she wants to settle down within her field.
“Accenture has a large professional network and training basis, so I am looking forward to continuing to learn and grow in as many areas as possible,” she said.
Kendall, who eventually plans to continue her education by pursuing an MBA, is looking forward to finally starting her first post-college job after months of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She wants to learn how large-scale companies are run, and hopes to figure out which specific industry she is most passionate about before she takes her next step.
“Where They’re Headed” is a blog series chronicling the post-collegiate plans of recent Haverford graduates.