Advice from Former Students

Thank you for being a great teacher this year in MIS. You've made this class more than interesting because I actually happen to remember just about everything we discuss as soon as we leave the class. I wanted to really thank you for speaking to me when my grade was in serious jeopardy because I don't know how I would've passed without that, I probably would have been content with myself until I'd realize I was in over my head. I've always had problems concentrating, due to [redacted] but I don't like to use that as an excuse because I don't really want people to look down upon me and try to simplify things to make me feel better. I feel as if I should always challenge myself everyday as I prepare to learn new ideas and soak in every concept we discuss. This was by far one of my favorite classes and I hope that I can become an exemplerary student with an MIS degree in a few years. I also owe you a big thank you for letting our class know about the guess speaker who came into to discuss the mobile phone industry, that was a big help because I can't really travel too far for events and tech shows/disussions these days. Everything he said though, was very interesting, I wish more people paid attention to what he was saying because he really put our current technology (more like attachments) in a perspective, especially when he talked about how powerful the computers on are phones are, which was just unbelievable. Anyways, I hope you read this and understand that there is a at least one student that appreciates your work here at CCSU.

I would just like to say It was a pleasure having you as a professor this semester. You are a great teacher and I have never had a teacher who interacted with its students as much as you did. I can say it defiantly benefited my learning experience tremendously. Also your words of advice were greatly appreciated, thank you. I wish you the best as well in your future endeavors and I hope you have a wonderful holiday!

Dr. Schumaker is not only one of the most accomplished people in his industry, but he is also one of the best at being able to relate this information to students of all interest levels and experience levels.  If you are ever confused on something, all you need to do is go to his office.  Some professors may be short and impatient, and may not be regularly available, but Dr. Schumaker will hear you out, and help you find the solution.  He also understands that there is so much more to our lives than just school and work.  He genuinely cares about what we are doing and truly gets to know us on an individual basis. The class itself is very engaging.  It is essential to participate, and the more you participate, the more you enjoy going.  He welcomes lots of commentary and questions during the lectures to make them more interactive and relevant to our lives.  He never judges any question or comment as stupid, and he also has a great sense of humor. Overall, the class is what you make of it.  What you put in is what you are going to get, and Dr. Schumaker will be sure to assist you in any way you can.  Never be shy to ask!

During my freshman year at CSU had the pleasure of having Mr. Schumaker as professor and as a current junior I realize that there are several qualities about Mr. Schumaker that I would love for my other professors to take note of. He's a very understanding/thoughtful guy, who can help you out when you're at least trying to help yourself, BUT!! Don't take advantage, seeing as there is only so much he can and is willing to do for his students who at the very least put forth an effort. Keep up with your course work because it is very hard to make a comeback halfway through the semester (TRUST ME). Lastly Mr. Schumaker definitely knows his stuff, if you pay attention to what he says during class you'll do just fine!

Just want to say your class is hands down the best class I've ever taken. All the topics covered were interesting, informative, and really caught my attention. The homework assignments were also quite enjoyable. I really enjoyed all the case studies and even the My ItLab. It was nice to learn something new for a change. For the first time in my life, I have to say I actually enjoyed doing homework. With that said, after taking your class you have inspired me to switch my major to MIS. I honestly wish I could take your class again.

Hello future students, my name is Steve Shomon. I am a former student of Professor Schumaker's Java course at Cleveland State University. While taking his course, he was always willing to take time to go over any concerns that students may have. Rather those questions were in class or in his office. If you are new to the programming spectra, you will gain plenty of knowledge and know that what you will learn in his course will stick with you for a long time. In his course, you will learn about Arrays, for loops, if statements, iterations, recursions and Polymorphism to name a few. When taking his course there was one group project which was fun. We made a black jack game. His course has been very educational.

It has been a weird past few months to say the least, but I feel that I have genuinely come out with more knowledge and a greater understanding of the material compare to when I first walked into class. I firmly believe that what you said in the beginning was correct... taking this class (mostly online) is much more difficult that in-class. Had it not been for the COVID-19 crisis and some other person issues going on these last few weeks, I have not doubt that I could have done much better this semester. None of that is obviosuly your fault though. You and the rest of the staff have done everything you can (and more) to help us get through this semester in one piece. I, for one, would just like to say thank you. Whether it's me repeating this class again or having you as a professor in another upper-level class, I'm sure I'll be a student of yours again soon. Have a great summer.

It was a pleasure being in your class. Even though I disliked the frequency of the quizzes, you are correct in that it keeps students on their toes and improves their attendance which translates to a better grade. The tech stories were definitely enjoyable and a great addition to the class, as I'm a follower of tech sites. (Sometimes I think I picked the wrong major). Lifelong learning was an interesting portion as well. It pushed me to go out and learn more than just in the classroom. The online assignments, though tedious, sharpened skills in the according programs. The SAP assignment was fun and great hands-on. Overall, it was a great course due to the way it was set up. I'm happy to say that I've made a decent comeback as opposed to earlier in the semester. I'd like to thank you for that; it made me appreciate the course much more. The final exam was a little different than what I had expected as it took me much longer than I anticipated.

To succeed in the class Doctor Schumaker taught me, one needed to attend every lecture; read technical news, easily found online, to earn participation points; and prepare for exams. Group work was also especially important, so one could not rely exclusively on oneself. My final was comprehensive so allow time to prepare or review frequently. Extra credit can help if you literally need a few points to bump you up to the next grade. Aside from broadening technical knowledge, it offers little more than a scant few points toward the final grade. So, you would have to be on the borderline for extra credit to really make the difference. Participation and preparation are the real keys.

Professor Schumaker is one of the Professors who shows a great deal of passion for the subject matter in class. Some things to expect in his class is learning the basics of HTML. He gives you the baseline for what you need to make your own website but challenges you with the creativity and design layouts. The introduction of div tables will certainly help with your layout and site design. Pay close attention to the lectures, the exams will have content from the lectures as well as required readings. If you have some interest in building your own site and e-Commerce you should be able to do well in Professor Schumaker's class. Professor Schumaker gives you what you need to succeed in this course so pay close attention.

A great teacher is purposeful, approachable, and reasonable. Every lesson you'll take from Dr. Schumaker will move you forward. He doesn't insert fluff into his curriculum, and won't assign unecessary homework. Do the assignments, and study, not just to take, but to remember, his tests. Some teachers shut their doors on the world during office hours, hoping students will forget they're available. This is NOT Dr. Schumaker. He is helpful, and extremely knowledgeable. Use this time to ask good questions, and learn more about certain subjects (Machine Learning, Data Mining, Statistics) than you could anywhere else. People get sick, miss the bus, and have family emergencies. Dr. Schumaker understands this. But people also make flaky, ludicrous excuses, which he knows all too well. Don't lie, don't cheat, and especially do not plagiarize; he will find out. Do your own homework, take your own exams, and be on time. And don't forget that a great teacher has a sense of humor... Dr. Schumaker keeps his lectures structured and serious, but also knows when to crack a joke to lighten the environment, which helps sleepy college kids stay awake!

Professor Schumaker is an excellent professor that will give you real world knowledge that is actually applicable outside of the academic environment. While some professors like to teach in theory; Dr. Schumaker is a seasoned IT professional and will teach you the facts. This knowledge does come at a price though, as you will only get out of his classes what you put in. If you follow the professor’s instruction, read the provided material, and put effort into the required exercises then you will succeed. As a former student now working in the IT sector I cannot recommend a better professor where you will learn the information to make you more competent in your future desired profession.