Initially drawn to Northeastern by his family’s connection to the university, Ismael Sanchez says his curiosity was ignited when he discovered Khoury College’s cybersecurity program. Now, through co-ops and mentorship, he’s being encouraged to explore and deepen his passion for the field.

If you want to do the switch to cyber, you’re at the right school. … These other schools, they give you the four-year degree, but they don’t give you the experience. And Northeastern gives you the experience

Ismael Sanchez, BSCY

For Johanna Gunawan, the Align program provided a transformative opportunity to pivot from a background in political science to a career in cybersecurity. Embracing the interdisciplinary approach and supportive environment at Khoury College, she went on to pursue her PhD. Her research, sitting at the intersection of law and technology, aims to unearth how digital interfaces can influence and deceive users.

It’s been very fulfilling and really a rewarding experience where I just get to explore so many different things. I’ve felt that support through my entire time here at Northeastern, from the Ph.D., but also before my prior degrees

Johanna Gunawan, MSCY ’20

Writer and Align student Alice Koeninger is seeking a balanced career — one where she can exercise her creative and technical skills in equal measure. Her time at Khoury College has shown her that this path is more than achievable, especially in a communication-heavy field like cybersecurity.

There are plenty of opportunities to be creative in scientific fields like computer science and cybersecurity … I found that my background in writing has been a strength for me

Alice Koeninger, Align MSCS ’24

As a Global Scholar, Mara Helfer spent her first fall semester on Northeastern’s Oakland campus, then transitioned to the London campus for the remainder of the academic year. Although she was nervous about pursuing a male-dominated field, her first class in Oakland with Professor Ellen Spertus helped build her computing confidence, and now she’s excited to continue her tech journey around the world.

My professor always talks about her great experiences of going to MIT, and I think that having
someone like that on your first day, being a woman, having all these great experiences … definitely helped because I knew that this was something that was possible

Mara Helfer, BSCS ’28

For Andrew Lucia, the biggest draw of Khoury College was the co-op program. Securing a co-op with cybersecurity company K logix helped him find footing in his career early, bolstering his confidence and leading to his first job out of college as a penetration tester.

It was kind of crazy to actually see myself now compared to when I arrived — all the stuff I just feel comfortable doing. … Computer science can be a tricky field, but you got to stick with it, and if you do, you’re going to find success that way

Andrew Lucia, BSCY ’22

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