Senior (and Gymnast) Sticks the Landing With a Job at Oracle
After graduating with a degree in information technology and informatics, Amelia Khoo is heading to Seattle to work as a technical program manager
Soon after Rutgers University-New Brunswick senior Amelia Khoo walks across the stage to claim her diploma, the gymnast will head to Seattle to launch her career at computer technology company Oracle Corp.
Khoo said she was drawn to the university for its location and its major in information technology and informatics, a bachelor of arts program offered through the School of Communication and Information that is “pretty unique to Rutgers.”
“I liked that it was close to a big city,” added Khoo, an Honors College student who attends the School of Arts and Sciences. “I am definitely a city person, so I love going to New York. It truly has been one of the highlights of my college experience.”
As for her major, Khoo said, “I really liked the program. Not a lot of schools have an information science program, and when I applied back in 2022, for example, Rutgers didn't even have the data science major yet. So, I thought that it was a pretty unique opportunity – and the Honors College also was something that I thought was beneficial.”
Khoo, a member of Rutgers University Club Gymnastics who competes in home and away meets, described information technology (IT) and informatics as “not pure computer science or coding.”
“I would say the IT and informatics major combines both the technical aspects and social aspects of technology,” she said. “In my classes, I've had the opportunity to learn about not only technical fields such as coding and data analytics, but also the human behavior that drives technology and how it's used.”
Khoo, who enjoys playing trivia and word games such as The New York Times mini crossword, said her minor in psychology complements her major.
“I was really interested in learning about human behavior and its complexities,” the 20-year-old said. “I'm able to incorporate my interest in understanding human behavior in fields such as human-computer interaction and user experience and user interface design.”
She added, “Fields such as project management and human-computer interaction, are all really interesting to me.”
Khoo will work as a technical program manager, serving as a "bridge between departments" at Oracle, which ranks in the top 10 of information technology software and service businesses, according to the 2024 rankings of the world’s largest public companies by Forbes.
“The engineering team, the sales team, all the different teams that are working on new products or new projects, you're acting as a bridge to connect them to each other,” she said. “The engineering team, they might want to share their findings with the sales team, but because it's very technical, the technical program manager can help to break that down and present it in a clearer way.”
Khoo, who applied for the job through the company’s website, said she feels lucky to receive the position, adding “I think one thing that stood out about me, at least maybe to Oracle, was the ITI major.”
In addition to the gymnastics club, Khoo works as an intern on the information technology help desk at the Office of Career Exploration and Success, a role she’s held since her first year at Rutgers. While she mainly helps with troubleshooting questions from students, alumni and staff, Khoo has worked on projects that use data analysis techniques to improve departmental efficiency.
“It's really helped make an impact on my life in terms of meeting people from different fields and gaining important experience,” said Khoo. “And to the students out there, I would definitely recommend finding a job, whether it's on campus or off campus, that allows them to gain experience in a field that they're interested in so they can have a real world understanding of what's going on.”
Khoo said she considers Barbara Thomson, the director of the career operations and strategic initiatives unit at Career Exploration and Success, one of her mentors.
“She's seen me grow from freshman year to now, and she's provided a lot of helpful guidance,” Khoo said.
“She was an outstanding intern and always available to help with our projects and events,” said Thomson. “Amelia assisted hundreds of students with technical issues, and I am confident she will do a great job with Oracle.”
Khoo began training in gymnastics as a child. She started competing in the sport at age 12 but stopped in her later teens because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When Khoo learned Rutgers had a gymnastics club, “I joined in my freshman year” and has traveled to Memphis, Tenn., Albuquerque, N.M., and Boston for competitions.
“I just loved the feeling of being upside down and flipping,” said Khoo, who also snaps photos and mentors other student shutterbugs as lead photographer of the Honors College Media Team. “Everything is a totally new experience for me personally.”
