As technology reshapes nearly every industry, careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, are not only in high demand, but evolving faster than ever. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts STEM occupations will grow by more than 8% by 2034, highlighting the need for individuals who can think critically, solve complex problems, and adapt to constant innovation.

At St. Norbert College, the computer science and data analytics majors are intentionally designed to cultivate this mindset. In their capstone courses for these majors, students are tasked with semester-long projects that mirror the real-world experiences of software developers and data analysts working with clients. They make decisions regarding software design and hardware choices, communicate their work through written and oral progress reports, and then ultimately present their work at the end of the semester to faculty, friends, family, and even dozens of alumni.

The projects are approached differently in each course. Computer science students receive a set of requirements and work through them as the semester progresses, encountering challenges and collaborating with faculty to develop and clearly articulate solutions. Data analytics students design their own projects, taking responsibility for finding, cleaning, modeling, and presenting data. Across both courses, students gain experience with large-scale project management while also exploring ethical concerns around computer programs and data.

Bonnie McVey ’82 (Computer Science), now entering her 27th year of teaching at St. Norbert College, and Seth Meyer (Computer Science and Mathematics) emphasized these capstone courses are specifically designed to prepare students for a constantly changing technological landscape. 

“This gives them the opportunity to practice learning and engaging with new languages and hardware paradigms as they will need to do frequently in their careers.”

Bonnie McVey and Seth Meyer

At this year’s capstone presentation day, students showcased the skills and innovation shaping the future of these growing fields. Projects ranged from robot tracking and collision avoidance systems to modeling housing prices using property features, highlighting both the technical depth and real-world impact of their work.

Edie Neuville ’27, a data analytics, math and computer science triple major, incorporated all of her areas of study into one project. The result was, “Redistricting Wisconsin” a computational redistricting project where she generated and analyzed alternate voting district maps to explore how different maps impact fairness, population balance, and partisan outcomes. Beyond the technical work, Neuville also found the presentation skills taught in the course to be impactful, especially because she needed to present the research in a clear, nonpartisan way.

“My project focused on voting districts, which is rather political, and not a presentation I could improvise while being sensitive to the topic,” said Neuville. “For my presentation to be successful, I needed to improve my public speaking skills so that I could communicate my work in an effective way.”

McVey has played a critical role in the development of the capstone courses over the past 26 years, helping shape a program that is distinctive to St. Norbert College. In fact, these courses are among the first in the country to incorporate requirements of this depth and scope, setting a high standard for experiential learning in the field.

Faith Fehrman ’26 will attend Washington University in St. Louis to pursue a master’s in the business of sports, with the goal of entering the sports industry as a data analyst. Reflecting on her capstone project, “Expanding the Strike Zone”, she emphasized the value of the course’s real-world structure.

“My professors acted as bosses where we would have weekly meetings to talk about my progress and next steps. Unlike other classes, they did not give me deadlines for my project. I learned to work independently and hold myself accountable for the work I needed to complete.”

Faith Fehrman ’26

Many SNC alumni look forward to the annual capstone demonstrations, returning to campus to see what the next generation of STEM innovators is creating. The event offers a chance to reconnect with the program, support current students, and even identify new talent for professional opportunities.

“We’ve had graduating seniors get job offers from alumni on the spot. We have alumni who work at NVidia, autonomous car companies, Amazon web services, and similar who often attend the capstone demonstrations, as well as (this year) a current member of the San Francisco Giants Major League Baseball team.” said McVey and Meyer.

Students acknowledged the intensity of the capstone experience while also recognizing the value of the challenges they faced.

“Presenting my work was a great accomplishment, as well as a reminder of how far I have come and that every effort has its reward.” said computer science major Alexandra Zaragoza ’27 on her project, “Survival of the Prettiest.” “I was not very familiar with my project at the beginning of the semester. I spent quite a bit of time researching and asking questions. I feel that in doing so, I am prepared when presented with a challenge, even if it is not related to academics. Capstone reminds us there is always more to learn, just as in the STEM field.”

This mindset, of continuous learning and adaptability, is what prepares St. Norbert College students to succeed beyond the classroom and throughout their professional careers.