A Polish Story of Computer Science Success

So you're back for more, eh? Are you ready for another week of scintillating discussion focused on some sort of college degree program? Well, this week, I have a story that should put a smile across all of your faces. It's about a family that immigrated to Chicago from Poland many years ago. Luckily, the story has a twist that includes our educational topic of this week - computer science. Ok everyone, prepare for some sentimentality.

The story starts over thirty years ago, when Alexei and Katarina Peplinski moved from their native Poland to find a better life in America. They settled in one of the western suburbs of Chicago that has a pretty high Polish-American population.


Alexei had gone to college in Poland to become an engineer, but he had to start working as a shoe salesman in his neighborhood because he couldn't speak any English. Alexei eventually learned English and found a job as an engineer - luckily before his wife had the first of their two daughters.

Putting a Computer Science Degree to Work

I heard this story from Anna Peplinki, the eldest of the two daughters, at a New Year's Eve party in Chicago this year. I was telling a group of people that I was writing about computer science degree programs, and she introduced herself. She had graduated from an online computer science program in 2003.


I asked her where she worked today, and she said that she was the CIO for her father's engineering company, which he had started right at the time she was considering going away to a traditional college. Since his business was growing rapidly, he asked her to stay at home to help work for the company.

She decided to stay and work, but still earned her degree online in less than four years. She gradually went from being her dad's assistant to running the more technical aspects of the office. She advised her father to buy enterprise software that helped automate many business practices including payroll, purchasing, etc.

Anna eventually hired a webmaster to design the company's website, and worked with him to use the site to attract more business for her father. She said her father was ecstatic, because her computer science background had truly helped the company grow.

Online Degrees can be a Great Option

When I asked Anna if she ever regretted not going to a traditional campus for school, she smiled a bit mischievously. She said she had friends who were in college, and had plenty of fun with them on their campuses on the weekends. She was really happy with her education, because she was able to satisfy all of her computer science degree requirements on her own time, while still working for her dad's company. She said if she had to do it all over, she wouldn't have changed a thing.

The Peplinski's story is truly remarkable, and it should give hope to any young family with limited means. Anna's story shows that earning a computer science degree online is a viable college option that can ultimately lead to a great job. If you think that earning an online degree might be in your best interest, start researching your options. There are many reputable programs that will suit your needs.