By Erin Wrinkle

Hacking into computers.

Programming top-secret software.

Developing intelligent technology.

No, this isn’t a James Bond movie – these are things MSU Computer Science majors are trained to do.

Dr. Stewart Carpenter, professor of computer science, has been integral in helping students develop these unique skills.

In fact, Carpenter founded the program 34 years ago. Now Computer Science claims 100 majors.

Though the Computer Science program will continue at the university, Carpenter will not. This semester, he’s handing in his resignation. The 71-year-old Texan native said it’s time to leave his legacy behind.

“It’s time for me to go,” Carpenter said.

As far as after-retirement plans go, he said nothing is set in stone.

“I’m going to take it easy for a while and then I’ll find something to do,” said an upbeat Carpenter.

“He (Carpenter) is a super nice guy – well-spoken and intelligent,” said Keith Enloe, a former graduate student of the computer science professor. “He always answered my questions academically and helped me solve my problems.”

To many students, Carpenter was someone they could come to when they just needed to talk, Enloe said.

“He would help anyone with anything, even if it wasn’t about computer science,” he continued. “I have never heard anyone say anything bad about him.”

Carpenter said he will miss his students.

“I have enjoyed being here and I have really enjoyed the people I have worked with. I couldn’t have asked for a better faculty.”

Carpenter earned his bachelor’s degree from the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas in 1962.

He earned his master’s in Computer Science from Texas A&M in 1968.

He earned a doctorate in Computer Science in 1972.

He founded the Computer Science department at MSU in 1978.

He said he was chosen to begin the program because the university needed someone who could start from scratch.

“We had one computer, which was a mainframe,” Carpenter said.

Computer Science is a major that is always advancing new ideas, he said.

Up-to-date manuals are produced about every five years to give students the most current information.

With a Computer Science degree, a prime job for graduates is programming software.

Many job opportunities are associated with a degree in computers.

In fact, most jobs now require the applicant to be proficient in computer knowledge.

Carpenter has taught most MSU’s computer classes at some point in his tenure.

As the department has grown in size, more faculty members have been added on over the years. Now the department has seven faculty members.

“The scarcity of hardware required a rather strict process of students having to reserve time on one of the 12 terminals available to them.  It also imposed a need to monitor usage to assure that no individual was abusing the system to the detriment of other students. A similar system was used when we acquired our first PCs, even though the number of PCs doubled the number of available stations,” Carpenter said.

He started the Computer Science Department, before computers were even cool.