p Vanessa Rodgers, cyber
technology student
Vanessa Rodgers did not set out to
study computers. She earned a bachelor's
degree in French, with the goal of
working as a translator. When she later
changed her mind on career paths, she
turned to Howard Community College
(HCC) to pursue a new field of study –
cyber technology.
"Computers are integral to everything,"
she says. "Cyber technology teaches critical
problem solving skills that are applicable
across a multitude of career fields. Studying
cyber is a practical decision."
While Rodgers' expectation was to
broaden her computer skills, her experience
at HCC expanded her knowledge of the
programming language Python, introduced
her to Raspberry Pi – a credit-card sized,
single board computer – and secured her
an internship.
With a cadre of faculty and staff
providing support, Rodgers knew these
activities and her course work would
eventually result in a job, and she was
right. She received what she considers the
job opportunity of a lifetime – a position
at the Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Lab.
Growing the
Next Generation of
Cyber Experts
Fall 2017 | Pathways 7
