We're catching up with some of our NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipients to see what they have been up to since graduating from The College of Wooster. Our sixth former Fighting Scot in this series is Rick Drushal '07, who majored in computer science and mathematics. The former football and track & field superstar is a data insights engineering manager – ad platforms at Apple, and he's based at the company's headquarters in Cupertino, California.

Q: Tell us a bit about your career path since you graduated from The College of Wooster?

A: After graduation, I took a job with Accenture, a multinational consultancy based out of Chicago focused on managing the build, deploy, and integration of large custom developed applications. Four years, later I accepted a relocation and transfer from Chicago to San Jose, California, as part of a reorganization of the Accenture Technology Labs. While there, I focused on delivering solutions for clients, allowing them to harness new distributed data storage and processing frameworks to create new business opportunities.

In 2013, I left Accenture and accepted a position as employee number six at Silicon Valley Data Science (SVDS), a small boutique consultancy focused on the intersection of data science and engineering. Over the next four years as a principal solution architect, I led client engagements across a variety of industries, including medical devices, financial services, and media.

In 2018, SVDS was acquired by Apple, where I was asked to lead the data insights engineering team in the ad platforms organization.

Q: Walk us through some of the key duties at your current job?

A: I lead a team of engineers and managers who are responsible for enabling data users across Apple's ad platforms organization and ensuring the quality and uptime of key data products and systems used for reporting, analytics, and decision-making.

Q: Tell us about any super-cool & unique experiences you've been a part of at your current job, or at a previous job?

A: In my role at SVDS, I was privileged to be part of building the company from the beginning. One of my most unique memories was executing and delivering on the company's first project. Knowing that this project was the first one that would result in a payment to our fledgling company represented a huge sense of pride and accomplishment.

At Apple, one of my most unique experiences was the first time our ad platforms group got a mention during the release of quarterly results. The sense of both pride and accomplishment that our group, and in a small way my work, was a part of the success of an organization the size of Apple was extraordinarily gratifying.

Q: Tell us about one or two professors or campus resources/organizations who really helped shape your career path and set you up for a high level of success after Wooster?

A: Two different ones:

AMRE – My experience with the Applied Methods and Research Experience and Drs. Ramsay, Gray, and Brown really set the stage for a career in consulting and technology. The AMRE experience provided a leg up when I moved to the corporate consulting world at Accenture. I still use many skills that I developed during AMRE. The ones that come to mind are learning how to prepare a presentation, visiting a client site, and working thorough a nebulous problem.

Participating on the football team allowed me to learn how to work hard but also how to lead. Being voted captain my junior and senior years provided the opportunity to begin working on leadership skills during my time at the College. In my career, the teams that I lead have consistently grown from single to double digits, so many of the motivational and leadership lessons learned from my days on the gridiron are still effective to this day.

Q: Why did you choose to attend The College of Wooster?

A: Wooster represented the nexus of a number of things. I have a long personal relationship with the College as my father, Rich, is an alumnus, and my grandfather, J. Garber, was the president of the college from 1967 – 1977 as well as longtime professor.

For a period of time in my college search, I was convinced I was going to play football at one of the Ivy League schools. However, as those opportunities didn't materialize, I found that the balance of a liberal arts education with an opportunity to play sports at a high level and the comfort of being at a place that I knew were what drew me to Wooster.

Q: What are some of your favorite memories about your time as a student-athlete at Wooster?

A: My sophomore year, the football team made the NCAA Div. III Championships and advanced to the second round for the first time in school history. Being a part of a team that had high level aspirations and was able to achieve them from the NCAC stage was incredibly fulfilling.

I was lucky to get the opportunity to continue to play football after my last Wooster game. After assuming my season was over following a resounding 41-13 victory at Kenyon College, I was selected to play in the Aztec Bowl in Aguascaliente, Mexico. Additionally, I was invited to rookie mini-camp for the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent and selected to play in the IFAF World Cup of American Football in Tokyo after graduation.

I met my future wife, Anne '07, who was an all-conference field hockey goalie for Wooster, the first day of freshman orientation, and we have a lifetime of memories together that we trace back to being student-athletes at Wooster.

Q: Who were some of the key influencers or what were some of the key resources you utilized as a student-athlete that helped you balance out being a student and a highly-decorated athlete at the College?

A: As a mathematics and computer science double major, I spent a significant amount time in Taylor Hall in the computer labs and working as groups on the third floor. Having a place that was always available to get out of the dorm and be able to work was helpful.

Additionally, the professors at Wooster were always available. I remember one night a professor came into the computer science lab at 10 p.m., as a group of us were running into issues with our operating systems assignment. This sort of dedication to students helped to make it easy to put in the effort needed to succeed as a student and as an athlete.

Q: What did it mean to help put Wooster in the national spotlight as a NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship recipient?

A: I was honored to receive this scholarship, which recognized a culmination of four years of hard work both academically and athletically. The combination of this scholarship and being named a first-team (College Sports Information Directors of America) Academic All-American® really punctuated my collegiate experience.

Q: Anything else of significance that hasn't been covered yet that would be worth including that pertains to your time at Wooster or your professional career?

A: I met my wife Anne '07 at Wooster, and now live in San Jose with four kids – Thea (8), Tripp (5), Evie (3), and Mae (2). None of this is possible without teammates, coaches, and family. I cannot thank my parents, coaches, teammates, and friends enough for enabling my success at The College of Wooster.

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