Timothy Dunnigan ?21

Timothy Dunnigan

Class Year

’21

Current home

Chicago, Illinois

Major(s)

International Political Economy and Great Ideas

Current Position

Technical Recruiter at TEKsystems

As an international political economy (IPE) and great ideas major, Timothy Dunnigan ’21 spent a lot of his time in college reading books and learning philosophies that challenged him to think about himself and the world around him in new ways. He believes his experience at Carthage greatly impacted who he is, and he tries to apply the values he’s gained to his profession.

Mr. Dunnigan currently works as a technical recruiter at TEKsystems, a consulting agency that provides technology solutions to a variety of enterprise organizations. His role focuses on attracting and retaining top talent within the I.T. infrastructure space who are capable of supporting these solutions and providing genuine service to clients.

“One of the best Carthage memories I have is reading “Meno” and coming to a solid conclusion on what virtue really is and how I might strive to act virtuously in my own life.”

Timothy Dunnigan, ’21

What have you enjoyed most about your career?

“I enjoy the interaction with the best and brightest in the IT field, along with playing a pivotal role in the conversations happening at high levels with our enterprise clients. My role offers a unique perspective that most do not get to see until they reach the director level within an organization.”

How did Carthage prepare you?

“I spent the vast majority of my time at Carthage reading books written by the absolute best thinkers and writers. While this alone was highly impactful to my life, it was the professors, especially Professor Art Cyr in the IPE program, who were able to direct my focus to the most challenging and insightful philosophies within those books. Their urging to focus on these specific topics pushed me to confront ideas founded on sound reason that were both unfamiliar and uncomfortable to me. This, in turn, forced me to confront the nuances of my own character.

“Through reading Alexis De Tocqueville, I gained the insight to understand how the acceptance of a belief or philosophy can have ramifications throughout a person’s entire being. This understanding helped me to see clearly why people in the Western world act and think as they do. Such insight has effectively improved every single relationship that I have had since. College was a profound experience, and the things I learned impacted who I am today and any success I may have in the future.”

Why did you choose Carthage?

“I chose Carthage because it was one of the few colleges in the United States that offered a liberal arts education rooted securely in the “great books of the Western world.” Such an education is hard to come by outside of the Ivy League colleges as we as a society have chosen to value financial gain over the development of a wise and sound character.”

What opportunities were made possible because of your Carthage experience?

“Carthage gave me the opportunity, or freedom, to spend my energy pursuing the things that added meaning to my life instead of wasting my energy pursuing things that did not. I am free to live a good life now, and the professors at Carthage are directly responsible.”

What Carthage professors played a part in your success and how?

“Professors Christopher Lynch, Paul Ulrich, Paul Kirkland, Art Cyr, Michael McShane, Seemee Ali, Brian Schwartz, Ben DeSchmidt, and Erlan Wheeler all played a big part in my success. They are the reason I had such a transformational experience at Carthage.”

Were you an award recipient? If so, tell us about the awards you received and what they meant to you.

“I received the Abraham Lincoln Fellowship, was a member of Alpha Chi, and I graduated Summa Cum Laude.”

What role have the values in Carthage's mission, "Seeking Truth, Building Strength, Inspiring Service — Together" played in your life?

“I support all of these values daily when recruiting top talent and addressing the variety of challenges my clients face on a daily basis. Acting with integrity requires both strength and a genuine desire to search for truth. And service to others is something that I do daily when helping people make monumental changes in their lives.”


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