"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare."
       — Japanese Proverb"

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Rebecca Livergood

Born in Skokie, Illinois, 1976

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Louisiana State University

Field of work

Computer Support

Areas of interest outside work

Horse-back riding, scuba diving, travel

My father is an electrical engineer who enjoys computers. His love for electronics influenced my career path. My mother pushed me always to do my best in school and work. Together, my parents were my strongest influence. I was introduced to computers at a very young age and found that I had an aptitude for them. They were always a hobby for me, but when I graduated from high school, I realized that computers would also be a career I would enjoy.

In my job, I provide phone support to help users with problems that they are having with their computer or network. The most interesting part of it is speaking to computer users from various cultures, backgrounds and computer levels. I talk to different people with a wide variety of problems every day. This allows me to learn something new all the time. It’s the people—users and co-workers—and the challenge of my job that I enjoy the most. In IT, I believe that you must be willing to take calculated risks to succeed and remain cutting-edge. In management I strive to be a leader, not just a manager. As a Japanese Proverb says, "Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare."

Science and engineering can be a hard field for some people, while for others it is not. For me, math is much more difficult than English or business classes. Thus, science and engineering was a harder choice for me to make. However, the easiest road is not always the best road. I considered dropping out of the science field when I was in college, however I am very glad that I chose to persist through my tough math classes.

As my career has progressed, I have never found myself treated unfairly. The computer industry is dominated by men, and at times I have had to prove myself and my abilities. At some point however, I believe that all technical people have to do this, male or female.

It is exciting to be in science and engineering. Technology is changing so rapidly that your career will never get dull. My recommendation to women considering this kind of career is to decide on a major area in which you would like to concentrate and choose a specialty, after taking a good look at your options.