Ciara Parizek/MDN Marisa Giese has been attending Minot State University for four years and will be graduating with a degree in technology information in May.

Minot State University student Marisa Giese will be graduating from the Advancing Students in Education and Employment Program (ASTEP) in May with a degree in technology information, setting the stage for her future.

She was first drawn in by the hardware, or the way the devices looked and felt. She enjoys working with all sorts of different types of technology, but cell phones are her favorite. They are the devices she is the most knowledgeable about. Being able to share her knowledge and passion for phones is something she would like to be able to do.

One of the first sparks she felt with technology was helping her mother and other family members when they had trouble with their devices at home. She is usually their go-to when they need an issue resolved. She had a natural knack for it, so she thought it would be a good fit for her.

After she graduates from ASTEP in May, she hopes to turn her degree into a job at a phone distributor.

“Technology is in a different world now, and there’s a lot more features,” she said, which encourages her even more to want to assist others with their devices.

Branching out to different types of technology is something she is interested in as well, especially cameras. She thoroughly enjoys the activity of taking photos and sharing them with others, so she would like to find out more about how they work and specifications to help other photographers find the right equipment for the job.

During her last semester at MSU, she is taking a cell-phone photography course. After taking this class, she has come to enjoy photography so much that she is planning on keeping it as a hobby after graduation.

Dancing is another of her hobbies. Instead of following along with dance routine videos, she likes to put on a song to match her mood and make up her own moves, letting the music flow through her. She likes the freedom that dancing gives her, allowing her the chance to move without restriction or routine.

A couple of her favorite genres are pop and country, but she also listens to musicians such as Ed Sheeran, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Nickelback, too. Last year, she even had the opportunity to see the Red Hot Chili Peppers in concert with her sister in Fargo.

In her spare time, she prefers to spend her time with her family members, especially her nephews. In celebration of finishing college, Giese and her family have planned a large party, with barbecue being the most likely food option.

Over the last three years, Giese has been working part-time at Menards in the hardware department. She enjoys what she does there, working freight, straightening shelves to make them look neat and full. Her coworkers are what make her job worth it to her, though.

With the great relationships she has with her fellow team members, she plans to stay at Menards as long as she can before she decides to switch fields.

For the time being, Giese is planning on staying in the Minot area, but she is not opposed to moving out of state for a job opportunity, should one present itself to her.

With graduation not far away, Giese is looking forward to moving on to the next chapter of her life to see where it leads her.