Alumnus advances career right out of BW

Cliff "Abe" Bender '06 is currently working as a developer with Hyland Software in Westlake, Ohio. Bender was hired immediately after graduation from Baldwin Wallace University and held multiple positions with Hyland Software before becoming a developer. He says his experiences at both BW and Hyland have made him better at doing his job.

Experiences outside of education

Bender was born in Kyoto, Japan, but grew up in Granger, Ohio. His international background may have influenced his decision to add German as a double major, as he was already majoring in computer science. Bender would eventually study abroad in Germany, which he states put him ahead of others in his field when Hyland considered internationalizing their software. He has traveled both nationally and abroad for Hyland, helping install and configure software to fit customers' needs.

Going forward

"Get all the experience you can, and don't look down on an opportunity," says Bender, who points to the education he acquired through the computer science and math faculty when asked how BW helped him to succeed. While his worldly expertise allows him a larger range of places to live, Bender is staying close to home in Ohio for now.