Central Methodist University’s newest employee in the Technology Services office is Benjamin Batten, a self-taught computer support specialist who says he’s excited to begin his new job.
Since graduating from Linn High School in 2016, Batten has been working in various information technology roles, including as a security specialist for IBM at the age of 19. After gaining experience through internships, he landed a role as the onsite IT coordinator for the Fayette School District, where he provided support to teachers and other district staff.
Batten’s job at Central will be similar to that experience, helping faculty, staff, and students with both hardware and software problems as they come up.
“Working for any university is usually pretty exciting,” Batten said, adding that Central itself appears to be a working environment with a “homey” atmosphere, rather than a high-stress situation that IT positions can sometimes be.
Aside from his work life, Batten says he spends his time studying other sciences, including meteorology and physics, as well as engineering. He also describes himself as “kind of a foodie” and enjoys cooking in his spare time.