I graduated from UMKC in the spring of 2006 with a B.S. in Mathematics and Statistics. I immediately began looking for a company, with whom I could begin my career. I assumed that once I had a degree that finding a job would be fairly simple, since math is used in virtually every field. However, I soon discovered that most companies were looking for someone with experience and expertise. Within a few months I accepted a job offer working as an Administrative Assistant at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMED). Not exactly the job I was seeking, but it paid the bills. While working at KUMED, I continued looking for career opportunities that would utilize my knowledge and skills that I gained through my course work at UMKC.
In November of 2007 (just a year and half after graduating) I accepted a position at MRIGlobal as an Assistant Analyst. They were willing to train me in the skills necessary to perform my new duties, and I quickly became a SAS programmer. My main responsibility is to write SAS programs to manipulate and analyze databases for a variety of research projects. These databases are then used to answer important research questions that impact ordinary people's lives every day. It is rewarding to know that my work plays such a vital role in our world. Since joining MRIGlobal, I have received a promotion, and I am now an Associate Analyst. Many of my colleagues come to me seeking solutions when they are having difficulties with their own SAS programs. My skills were recently recognized by MRIGlobal, when I was presented with the Perry L. Bidstrup award. This award is given annually to an MRIGlobal employee in recognition of their outstanding professional contribution to the institute"s programs.
I have come a long way in life since I first started working on my degree, as a single mother just struggling to get by. I now have a career, a house, a husband and two wonderful children. Without the support I received from Dr. Richard Delaware, I'm not sure that I would be where I am today. I know that my degree will continue to enable me to accomplish many more of my career and personal goals in life.
[14 February 2012]
At the end of 2011, I began working for Quintiles as a
statistical programmer. In this position I write SAS programs to analyze the
data collected during clinical drug trials. I also accepted a position to serve
as the Executive Officer on the 2012 Kansas City Area's SAS User Group board. It
is rewarding being able to help organize the group's meetings that provide free
training to SAS users in Kansas City.
[At UMKC, on April 22, 2005, in the department Expository Talks Series, Melanie gave a 20 minute talk titled "A 1779 Theorem of 72 year old Leonhard Euler: The Solution of a Curious Question: Given any series of n letters, to find how many ways they can be rearranged so that none returns to the position it initially occupied". On October 6, 2005, we presented Melanie with the Waldemar J. Trjitzinsky Scholarship for 2005-2006. Each year the AMS (American Mathematical Society) randomly selects a mathematics department which is an institutional member of the AMS, and asks them to select a student for the award. Our department was among those selected for 2005-2006, and we selected Melanie. The scholarships are funded by a 1988 bequest in memory of Waldemar J. Trjitzinsky, and are intended to help needy, talented students pursue their undergraduate studies in mathematics. The scholarship was $3,000 and we contributed an additional $1,000.]
Melanie Knoshaug (formerly Meyer)