As artificial intelligence reshapes every aspect of the modern workplace, the path into the tech industry no longer begins and ends with coding. At Willamette, faculty and staff help students combine critical thinking with the technical fluency that today’s employers demand.
“Context matters,” says Jameson Watts, dean of Willamette’s School of Computing and Information Science. “You can’t do data science if you don’t understand the human process that generated the data. You can’t do computer science if you don’t understand how humans interact with technology. You can’t do any of it unless you are comfortable working on teams and communicating across difference.”
That human-centered approach is part of what sets Willamette apart. The curriculum encourages students to connect data science with other disciplines to succeed in a job market that values communication, systems thinking, and cultural awareness as much as computation.
Communication now ranks as the most in-demand skill across industries, according to LinkedIn, as companies implementing AI into their operations discover that algorithms–for all their speed and efficiency — can’t inspire teams, build trust, or navigate the complex, essential work of human collaboration.
According to Anne Lapour, executive director of career initiatives, an interdisciplinary mindset runs deep at Willamette.
“What Willamette students can bring to the rapidly-changing tech industry are transferable soft skills that they can pair with their technical expertise,” she says. “These are evergreen interpersonal skills that allow them to be critical evaluators of technology and to make ethical choices around technology and use technology responsibly and in creative ways, collaborate with other people and understand the social consequences of how they’re using data.”
Students can now hone those skills and learn to leverage them at Willamette’s new Career Center. In the recently-renovated space in the center of Salem’s campus, students have access to dedicated career experts, virtual interview facilities, community spaces, and more.
Lapour adds that students are increasingly motivated and equipped to use their knowledge for social good. “I love it when I see Willamette students interested in pairing data science with sociology or gender studies or environmental science or politics, and they can use technology to tell really interesting stories.”
Students like Talia Goldenberg BS’27, a data science and sociology major, are already putting that philosophy into practice. “Close relationships with professors and staff made the process of applying to internships feel approachable, even in these competitive fields. My work in the sociology department led to a summer internship at the intersection of data and sociology. This experience aligns perfectly with my post-graduation career goals.”
For Brooke Proctor BS’26, a data science major, Willamette’s emphasis on flexibility has allowed her to explore technology from multiple perspectives. “I am versed in different skills that have allowed me to work in many different fields. This means that I have been able to see myself in tech fields, perhaps in a less conventional way. I have done some very fun projects with tech. These have included archaeological work and data processing, drone fieldwork, data analysis of catapults, survey deployments, and more. These projects may seem random at face value, but the underlying commonality is a critical look at data technology.”
Preparing for a career in tech means understanding not only how systems operate but how people do. As Watts counsels, “Learn to communicate. Specifically, learn to communicate technical ideas for non-technical individuals and make sure whatever you are saying is motivated by a specific problem an organization is trying to solve.”
It’s a reminder that behind every algorithm, there’s a human challenge to solve. Willamette graduates enter the work force equipped with technical prowess and the critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills that make them indispensable from day one.
