How a Computer Science Major Is Preparing for a Career in Cybersecurity

A Trinity College senior majoring in computer science is preparing to take the next steps toward a career in the increasingly complex and in-demand field of cybersecurity.

Myri Ayala ’25, from Asunción, Paraguay, recently received a Professional Pipeline Student Scholarship from EDUCAUSE, a nonprofit association advancing technology in higher education, and will attend its annual conference in San Antonio, Texas, in October. Ayala also has accepted a job that will begin in August with the risk management company AON, where she completed a cybersecurity internship last summer.

At Trinity, Ayala has worked as a shift leader and general consultant for Library and Information Technology Services (LITS), a student technology assistant (STA) on the Digital Learning and Scholarship Team, and an intern for the Information Security Team (IST).

“When I came to Trinity, I wanted to work in a place where I could learn as much as possible and that would challenge me, so I applied to the Library and Information Technology Services desk,” she said. “This was my first exposure to IT, and I really enjoyed it. The eagerness to challenge myself made me realize computer science is what I wanted to pursue.”

Read more about Ayala’s career path:

What kinds of experiences have you had while working with LITS at Trinity?

At the help desk, I troubleshoot common networking and software issues. Being an STA is more about helping students and professors use educational resources and teaching tools like Moodle. I also help with the different spaces like the 3D printing area, and I help during events in the library. My approach is to learn as much as possible in my classes, but learn outside of them as well.

How has Trinity helped prepare you for your future after college? 

Classes such as “Computer Networks,” “Introduction to Computer Systems,” and my open-source software course equipped me with foundational knowledge that was valuable during my internship. I have also received a lot of support from LITS, just learning about IT in general and being able to acquire skills that are necessary for any job. This opened up opportunities for me to find an internship during my sophomore year. Every spring semester, the Technology and Leadership Internship for Women chooses two or three women to do an internship with the Information Security Team at Trinity. This was my first exposure to cybersecurity, which I had never experienced, as classes mainly focus on software engineering. I wanted to explore other areas and found that I really enjoyed cybersecurity.

Not only did I learn skills in this sphere, but I gained leadership experience, as well. Through this, I met Kristen Eshleman, Trinity’s vice president for library and information technology services. She helped the interns connect with other women in tech; we got to interview them and ask about their fields, how they got there, and what advice they had. I also had [Associate Professor of Computer Science] Ewa Syta as my adviser, and she was very supportive and helpful in our weekly meetings, with alumnus Federico Cedolini ’22 contributing his expertise and offering guidance. After this internship, I was offered to stay on and keep working with Johnny Inghilterra, Trinity’s director of information security. I am currently leading the cybersecurity awareness program at Trinity with him this year. The program educates end users about potential threats and how they can protect themselves. It also includes in-person events that can help enhance both soft skills and technical abilities.

What opportunities will your EDUCAUSE scholarship provide? 

Both Johnny and Kristen encouraged me to apply to the scholarship, which offers the opportunity to attend the EDUCAUSE conference in Texas, focusing on cybersecurity and how technology is used in higher education. This scholarship is mainly for underrepresented communities, so as a woman in the STEM field, I shared my experiences about my journey at Trinity. What I like most about this scholarship is that I will have a mentor before the conference, during, and after. The best way for me to learn is to see someone in a position I want to be in and ask them how they got there.

One reason why I wanted to get involved in computer science was because I don’t see a lot of people from underrepresented communities in the field and I want to inspire others to join this path. I know it’s not easy, but it is fulfilling. I feel I have gained enough confidence and knowledge from my supportive mentors that if I come into a leadership role, I am prepared to say, ‘Hey, come with me. I will help you.’ If I can inspire and help someone become even better than myself, I will feel accomplished. I plan to start a club at Trinity for any student who is interested in the tech field to provide a supportive space for them to learn.

What was your experience over the summer with AON like?

I was applying to internships during my junior year and knew AON invested heavily in training. I made it through the process and was the only woman out of the three interns, so I felt a need to prove myself. I chose to specialize in security testing, which I had no prior experience in. It is all about penetration testing and ethical hacking, so I did some research before my interview and realized I liked it.

When beginning my internship, I had a lot to learn just to catch up, but everyone was so supportive. At the end of the internship, we had to present a project together where we simulated an attack to an active directory, then wrote a report on how to mitigate that. In early September, they called me to ask what I thought of the internship and if I would be interested in joining the team after graduation, to which I said yes immediately! I had no idea that this was even a possibility, as I was only in it for the experience. This allows me to have a stress-free senior year.

What advice would you offer to students about finding their path at Trinity and beyond?

When I first started doing computer science, I wasn’t confident. I kept wondering if this was the right path for me, but after being exposed to cybersecurity, I became passionate about it. Sometimes in your first years at college you can feel lost, but my advice would be to explore everything, ask questions, and find people who inspire you.