This month, We Are IT recognizes Tory Ezell, who works behind-the-scenes here at the University of Alabama’s Office of Information Technology as a Program Analyst III.
Ezell primarily works to configure, customize, and code applications for various departments at the University of Alabama. Programs will reach out to the Office of Information Technology and request that an application be built. They are then transferred to Ezell’s team, where they will meet to discuss the needs for the application, the requirements, and what they want the application to do. After a development plan is made, Ezell can begin to code the application for the program.
Part of the fun for Ezell is “arguing with a computer” and the challenges that each assignment and application presents. “Every day there’s something, you know, to figure out. Every day there’s a problem to solve, and so that’s really fun,” said Ezell. He recounts the various applications he’s built for the departments, campus tours, and President Mohler’s office.
Ezell has worked with the University of Alabama for seven years. He’s worked as a Program Analyst III in the Office of Information Technology for two of those years. He has a strong passion for computer science starting from a young age.
Since he was nine years old, Ezell had said he wanted to program computers. Originally, he wanted to go into game development, practicing on old Atari’s and trying out code from the back of magazines. It was something that he knew he wanted to go into, “and so as a kid, that’s what I did for fun,” said Ezell.
Other than coding, Ezell indulges in a variety of other hobbies and interests. Recently, he has built and flown FPV drones. “Music is my other passion, so it consumes a lot of my time,” said Ezell. Ezell composes soul music, runs sound for bands, and DJs, typically at the Sanctuary on 25th.
The Office of Information Technology is grateful to have Tory Ezell working to code applications for departments and programs here at The University of Alabama.