Martin Culberson

The Career Services Center is thrilled to introduce our new Technology Graduate Assistant, Martin Culberson, who brings many years of experience in educational technology and website design to our department.  In the following interview, Mr. Culberson shares his background, passion for technology, and favorite career resources.

Dina Bergren: What program did you complete at Walden and what degree are you currently pursuing?

Martin Culberson:  I completed my M.S. in Education–Integrating Technology in the Classroom degree in 2015, and I am currently pursuing my Doctor of Information Technology (DIT) degree.

 Dina Bergren: What do you enjoy most about being a Walden doctoral student?

 Martin Culberson:  I enjoy the pattern of conducting hours of research punctuated by collaboration with peers and instructors who are doing the same.  This activity may sound tedious to some, but my goal is to make the research come alive and that’s exciting!

 Dina Bergren: What is your technology background?

Martin Culberson:  I’ve always been interested in technology.  As a boy in the 70’s, I built a science fair project featuring punch cards, something I had learned when reading about IBM.  In the 90’s, with the explosion of the computer age and internet, I spent a lot of time working on hardware.  I naturally evolved into software and, in 2013, I designed and programmed a Learning Management System (LMS) for a large K-12 school.  It was a fascinating project and, by simply using a little bit of creativity, I came up with an algorithm that was a big step forward.  This experience led to an interest in artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality, two fields holding much promise for education. 

Dina Bergren:  How do you hope to contribute to the Career Services Center as a Technology Graduate Assistant?

Martin Culberson:  The Career Services Center team have great ideas for building a more dynamic website.  A great website is really the convergence of creative and technical skills into a cohesive presentation.  There should be a dynamic factor in the style, constrained by an aesthetic vision that hints at the underlying depth of real substance.  My hope is to contribute to this creative and technical effort in a meaningful way.

Dina Bergren:  What are your top 5 favorite resources on the Career Services Center website?

Martin Culberson:  My top 5 resources are:

1. Resumes and CVs tab/OptimalResume. This information is real-world, and it works. I’ve rebuilt my resume and cover letters with these resources and will use OptimalResume in the future.
2. Quick Answers. If you haven’t tried this tool, I highly recommend it.  Use the Quick Answers box on the Career Services Center home page, type in “resume,” and look at the great information you immediately get for this topic.  QuickAnswers is a powerful search tool.
3. Webinars. The archived webinars resource is very popular with Walden students, and with good reason.  I’ve used the cover letter and LinkedIn webinars to improve skills in those areas.  The Archived Webinars section is another example of how Career Services delivers real-world tools to address students’ needs.
4. Quick Start Videos. I watched a video on interview strategies before a sweat-inducing final interview last year.  It was very helpful and gave me confidence in my strategy.
5. Career Spotlights. It is inspiring to see real people achieving the same goals you hold.  A smiling face and a story of success are great motivators to get you through the tough times.

Dina Bergren:  What do you like to do in your free time? 

Martin Culberson:  My girlfriend and I both have very busy schedules, so we look forward to movies, nice meals, and day trips. I also enjoy writing, and recently published a science fiction novel – I’m now wrestling with the sequel.  Also, I’ve been into strength training for many years, and find lifting heavy weights to be good therapy for a day spent studying!

Dina Bergren:  Anything else you’d like to share about yourself?

Martin Culberson: I’m very happy as a student and graduate assistant with Walden.  I encourage everyone to visit the Career Services Center and look around!

Written by Walden Technology Graduate Assistant, Martin Culberson

Edited by Associate Director of Career Services, Dina Bergren