Abbie Bortz

I decided to take part in the 4+1 program at UNCC so I technically started graduate school my senior year. The program allowed me to get my master’s at an accelerated rate while easing me into graduate school. I had loved getting my undergraduate degree at UNCC so it only felt natural to get my Master’s here too.

Not only do you complete a lot of applicable projects you can use for job interviews, but also there are so many immersive experiences for students. I got to work with the Carolina Hurricanes, Truist, IHG hotels, AWS, and Truist because of programs UNCC offered.

The graduate building in Uptown Charlotte is really close to a lot of great restaurants and coffee shops. It also has some really pretty views of the city. One of my favorite coffee shops to do work in is called “Coco and The Director”. They have a cinnamon sugar croissant donut that is amazing.

Spring of 2024, I got to be a part of the Truist Immersion event that they do with UNCC. This was the program that got me my full time position after graduation. It was a two day event that gave me the chance to test out the skills I had learned in the classroom in the corporate world. I ended up getting MVP of the entire program which was a great indicator the skills I learned in my graduate program set me up well for the workforce.

I was a graduate teaching assistant for ITIS 6342 for one semester. During that time, a lot of the skills I learned in 6342 were further developed as I got the opportunity to teach them to new students. It also taught me how important it is to be adaptive and flexible when working with others.

Make sure that you participate in as many programs and immersive experiences as possible while there. I always tell everyone that it only takes one program to secure yourself a job that you really love after graduation. It also gave me the opportunity to meet one of my closest friends who is in my LDP cohort at Truist.