Introduction

Hello and welcome to my page. My name is Crystal Jones-Howe and I am a 3rd year part-time PhD student at the University at Albany, State University of New York. My primary specialization is a self-designed study in Technology in Education, with a secondary specialization on Information in Organizational Environments.

My passion for technology started at a young age as I was known for taking things apart and wanting to create. However, the true possibility of technology’s impact occurred during my early teens when I first came in contact with this budding technology called the Internet.

I credit the internet for changing the trajectory of my life and I have been fortunate enough to see its growth and impact on the world. It expanded my worldview and opened my future to previously unimaginable possibilities.

I reside in the beautiful Hudson Valley with my husband, my daughter, our two adorable dogs, and one grumpy but spoiled cat. I am a Sr. IT Support Administrator at Dutchess Community College. I manage the student-staffed helpdesk and mentor the students as they start their journey into their technology careers.

More About Me

I was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, to an immigrant mother and African-American Navy vet father, the youngest of their three children. Unfortunately, I lost my father at a young age and watched as my mother worked hard to still provide a life and instill the importance of education in the three of us.

Adding much to her stress, she soon found that my uninhibited imagination and dextrous fingers could not be stopped when wanting to figure out how something worked. I was drawn to what, at the time, would be considered the more “boyish” hobbies of science and tech toys, superheroes, and action cartoons. While I had my fair share of Barbies, it was clear my interests were broader than what was presented to me.

At the age of 13, I gained access to my older sister’s college laptop. Little did everyone know how that would change my life. In a time of chat rooms and talkers, I met, spoke, and collaborated with people across the US and the entire globe. Things I have only seen on TV and in movies took on a new reality of something obtainable, creating a desire to see and (more importantly) understand these things for myself.

I was exposed to like-minded individuals with vastly different experiences than I had grown up with, which contributed to the scope of my imagination. I learned more about computer science and what others could do, quickly absorbing and researching everything I could comprehend. While I was still limited in my access, that didn’t stop my curiosity so i took any opportunity to learn and grow that I could find.

As I continued in my education, it was interesting to see the path that I thought I clearly imagined was broadened by the many available careers in technology. Though I did not understand things like “learning styles,” I understood that I was a very “hands-on” learner, which led me to focus on Hardware Support and Network Administration. To this day I still love getting my hands on tech and being able to rebuild and reconfigure.

Fortunately, with the help of some wonderful instructors, I got to reflect on my journey and realize the events that led me to where I was. However, looking around, I also saw how technology was utilized and the disparity evident in the educational sector. Younger “me’s” had technology in their hands, but they had no real understanding of what it could do and how it could help. They were not being prepared for the world as it has evolved. While I was fortunate to be around as the internet developed, most underrepresented communities are not properly given the tools to utilize technology as it is created today. Both the pros and cons of such a vastly important necessity to operate in today’s society.