Since graduating from Penn State’s College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST) in 2006, Sean Cooney has had a unique career path that has led him to interesting places -- including a luxury yacht. In honor of his accomplishments in the information technology field, he was recently recognized by the college as the recipient of the 2015 Penn State Outstanding IST Alumni Award.
“I am honored to have been selected for this award given how many successful IST alums there are in the workforce today,” Cooney said.
The College of IST established the Penn State Outstanding IST Alumni Award in 2013 to recognize graduates who have reached exceptional levels of professional achievement. The award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the College of IST.
After receiving his bachelor of science in IST, Cooney began his career at BAE Systems in McLean, Virginia, as an associated systems engineer. He realized that he needed more from his career and set sail with a well-known American business magnate and philanthropist aboard his 180-foot yacht, where he spent most of his time sailing around the Caribbean and Europe. He was responsible for three satellite systems, two navigation systems, six servers, 10 guest laptops, and all employee technology tools. In addition, he ensured that all systems were kept running and had multiple backups and fail-safe systems. After 18 months of working on the yacht, he was invited by the owner’s family to join their firm as an IT specialist in their New York City office. Cooney’s duties at the firm include working with chief information officers (CIOs) of portfolio companies on large-scale projects.
“Many of the college’s graduates have leveraged their education and the experiences they gained here at Penn State to build noteworthy careers,” said Andrew Sears, dean of the College of IST. “Sean is a wonderful example of an IST graduate who through hard work has found great success. We are honored to have him as an alumnus and look forward to watching his already thriving career blossom.”
Cooney, whose brother-in-law was in the first IST graduating class, said he was drawn to the college’s interdisciplinary curriculum and its focus on merging technology and business.
“It’s a hybrid model,” he said. “That’s what is needed nowadays.”
The IST curriculum places a heavy emphasis on working in teams, Cooney said, which has had direct applicability to his collaborations with CIOs in his current position.
“(The team-based learning at IST) is really preparing you for these large-scale IT implementations, which is what we do on a daily basis,” Cooney said.
Cooney, whose future goals include attaining a senior IT management position in a top-tier enterprise, said that he advises current IST students not to be afraid to take unexpected turns in their careers. After all, he never expected to work on a yacht, but that stint led to a high-profile position in a prestigious company.
“Do not be afraid to follow your passions and take the road less traveled,” he said.