Nathaniel Gertsch

Software Developer

Computer Science, B.S. '07

How did your program at Biola prepare you for your career?

Biola gave me a grounding in the fundamentals, but more importantly, it gave me a chance to explore and follow my interests in the company of my classmates. I remember seeing a server in the computer lab and debugging the many issues with my classmates even though we had no idea what we were doing when we started. Knowing that hard work and perseverance can overcome almost any obstacle is the most important lesson I learned.

What did you appreciate most about your time at Biola?

The relationships I developed with my classmates and professors. With my classmates, I knew that we shared at least our faith in common and the small size of the computer science program meant that I knew everyone and most of the people in the math program as well.

With my professors, I took advantage of the small program size to develop a relationship with them. I was a TA for Dr. Lin, co-authored a paper with him and also audited higher division math classes with Dr. Thurber.

How did Biola equip you to be a more faithful follower of Jesus Christ?

Biola, and especially Torrey, made me more confident in my faith. It wasn't something that I had to follow and just hope that I was right but something I could understand and know the reasons why I believed what I believed. Biola equipped me to engage with my faith intellectually and know that I can interact with other ideas from a Christian perspective.

What advice would you give to students considering your degree program?

Don't neglect your personal projects — while class work may be more pressing, what you're learning on your own is the most important. Also, talk to your professors. They are actual humans and they care about you and how you are doing. They are more than happy to help you and are open to your project ideas, and you can also learn a lot by helping them and being a TA.