Spider Spotlight
A Q&A with Althea McMillian
Programmer/Web Developer
Information Services
BY PHILLIP GRAVELY
Writer/Editor, University Communications
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When she's not working in IS, Althea McMillian enjoys riding her motorcycle. |
Where are you from originally?
Chesapeake, Va.
What brought you to Richmond?
I came to the "big city" for schooling at VCU, and I stayed here after I graduated.
When did you start at the University? What were you doing before?
It will be five years this summer. I worked for Crestar doing mainframe programming when I graduated from college. I then worked for a dot-com and then came to the University.
What does your job here entail?
I serve a support role in IS, supporting the Web Development office and the applications we run on the Web. I work with system administrators, end users and the applications themselves, such as iSpin (the University's content management tool for the Web). I also help people around campus develop "ad hoc" types of applications they want on their Web sites.
What is a typical day like for you?
Every day is different. Mostly, we have to make sure everything is up and running. If something has gone down or is not acting properly, that definitely becomes the main priority.
What's your favorite part of your job?
I love the fact that I do so many different types of applications for different user groups-I help people use the Web. At the same time, it's challenging. I'm a developer, but I don't really have one single application that I can support. Variety can be good and bad.
When you're not at work, what do you like to do?
I love to ride my motorcycle. It's a purple and silver Honda Shadow 750 Ace.
What year?
2002.
How often do you ride?
As often as I can. I never really put it away for the winter. If it's nice weather, I'll go out.
And I understand you rode across the country?
Yes, I once went from here to California. I'm a Motor Maid, which is one of the oldest women's biking organizations in this country and Canada. We have conventions where all of our regions get together. The California region was hosting one year, so we took off. Everybody thought I was crazy. Some people still think I'm crazy for riding. I had never ridden that far before, and it was something I just wanted to do. It took a week to get there. We were there a week. Then it took a week to get back. But it was a lot of fun, quite an adventure. I've been out West before, but never like that. Everything is so relaxed.
Would you ever do it again?
Yes. As a matter of fact, I'm going to Canada this summer and back to Idaho next summer.
What's the hardest part of riding that far?
I'm a woman, and I just can't take all of my clothes. Packing is definitely limited.
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