Here at Freedom Consulting Group, we come from all different walks of life, combining our collective skills and backgrounds to rocket forward on our shared mission. In Scott Beall’s case, when we say a different walk of life…we mean it. Get to know FCG’s Political Science degree-wielding CTO in this month’s edition of My Unusual Degree.

So, we hear you have a bit of an unusual degree for someone at Freedom Consulting Group. Tell us about it!

When I started at the University of Maryland, I actually majored in Art, but I ended up graduating with a degree in Political Science. It’s definitely an unusual degree for a Chief Technology Officer – but I did get my Master’s in Computer Science.

How did that educational path end you up at FCG?

I’ve been working with computers since I was in high school, but I never thought of it as a serious career – it was the 80’s, pre-internet, black and white monitors, and punch cards. I took some computer classes in college, but I couldn’t get through the math. So, I decided to follow my Dad’s path and be an Intel analyst – that led me to major in Political Science (Poli-Sci).

What are some ways that your degree has helped you in this field?

I had to read, write, and research a lot as a Poli-Sci major. It required me to think outside the box to understand complex abstract concepts. The hardest class I took as a Poli-Sci major was Political Philosophy, where I had to compare and contrast different authors and political philosophies. I think that the skills I learned when writing those crazy papers have enhanced my ability to write proposals.

Do you find you approach problem solving in a different way because of the influence of your program?

I’m not sure Poli-Sci really helped me in problem solving as much as Art. Poli-Sci does require some abstract thought, but, I really took to coding because I like building things. Concepts like Object Oriented programming made sense because I could visualize what I was trying to build. I approach system design the same way I would plan to draw a picture. I think about what I’m going to build, sketch it out, then develop each piece in detail.

What advice would you give to current college students in a program similar to the one you graduated from?

The best advice I got when I was an undergraduate was ‘just graduate’ – there’s always time later to get a Master’s. Heck, take a look at how many owners of tech companies don’t even have degrees. I always had an aptitude for computers, but when you’re 18, it isn’t always clear what you want to do. I ‘figured’ it out after I got my first job as a govie. I got back into IT, and worked to get my Master’s in Computer Science. But I think having a Poli-Sci degree as my undergraduate has definitely helped me as CTO; it prepared me for tasks that a comp-sci degree would never do.

Thanks, Scott! No matter where you come from, when you’re a part of the FCG team, you’re right where you belong. Got a wacky degree or background? Comment below and you could be featured in our next spotlight!