Kevin Barnum

2019

Current job title and employer and briefly describe what it is you do: I am a Software/Application Engineer at GlobalFoundries in Essex Junction, Vermont. I am part of the CIM (Computer Integrated Manufacturing) Team. We mainly work on the applications that allow the various process/testing tools to communicate with one another. Additionally, many of our applications are used by operators in the cleanroom to coordinate preventative maintenance, move boxes of wafers ( large discs of microchips), and monitor process parameters at each step of the manufacturing line.

Academic experience at Saint Michael's College help prepare you for your career: Saint Mike’s prepared me to both think critically and voice my opinions and ideas. Communication is such an important skill and being able to both quickly and clearly convey your ideas is key. Several of my coworkers are SMC alumni including my manager. I consider this to be a testament to how well Saint Mike’s and a liberal arts education will prepare you for the workplace. The small class sizes and high availability of the teachers is the perfect learning environment.

Favorite memory or class from your time studying at St. Mike’s: My favorite memory from Saint Mike’s is going to Albany or Manchester to compete in programming competitions with Professor Pangborn. These trips with some of my classmates were excellent learning experiences and allowed us to practice under pressure and meet a variety of new people and professors that might have different points of view or ways of approaching a problem. These competitions are excellent practice for when you’re trying to meet a deadline in the real world. Additionally, I have many fond memories of late nights in the CS lab with my classmates and friends trying to debug various class projects and eating snacks!!

Translated your volunteer experience at Saint Michael’s into giving back to your community after graduation: GlobalFoundries does a ton of outreach and volunteer work in the surrounding communities. Frequently opportunities arise to give both time and money to important causes. GlobalGives is the company’s donation matching program and is an excellent way for us to give even more. Recently, at the start of the pandemic, GF made several substantial donations to Chittenden County food shelves.

Other information you would like to share or advice for incoming or current students: My only advice is to take a moment everyday to just appreciate where you are in life, the amazing people you have surrounding you, the professors who want nothing else than to share their passion with you and most of all the fact that you will always have a place to call home even when you’re a 1,000 miles away.