Xonyia Vang

What steered Xonyia Vang toward cybersecurity? A driver’s education course in high school, of all things.

Her instructor, a retired police officer, told the class about cases he had investigated and described the role cyber forensics can play in examining a suspect’s electronic devices.

“Wow, that’s really interesting,” Vang remembers thinking.

She began researching the field and decided to study computer science with a concentration in cybersecurity at UMass Lowell. 

The Honors College student from Fitchburg is now preparing for a career in cybersecurity, a field that is projected to grow by more than 20% over the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“Technology is always advancing, so that means that security measures always have to evolve with it,” Vang says.

As a member of the River Hawk Scholars Academy (RHSA), a supportive community for first-generation college students, Vang says she learned the importance of seeking support and accepting opportunities.

“Being first-gen and being new to computer science, it feels like everybody in your class is ahead of you. You get a level of impostor syndrome: ‘Is this really for me?’” says Vang, who ended up mentoring first-year students as a peer team leader with the RHSA.

For Vang, the value of college extends beyond career preparation. Her experience at UML has broadened her perspective, helped her become more independent and given her greater confidence in her ability to navigate unfamiliar challenges. 

“College really helps you develop your critical thinking and research skills,” she says.

Vang has put those skills to work through several research positions. Through the RHSA’s Roads to Research program, she worked with Accounting Associate Professor Amy Chen to develop Python scripts that organized data on companies and suppliers and extracted supplier references from companies’ Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Through the Asian American Center for Excellence and Engagement (AACEE), Vang worked with Education Associate Professor Phitsamay Uy, organizing interview data and conducting a literature review related to Lao cuisine and farmers.

Vang has also gained professional experience through internships. During the summer before her senior year, she worked as an information technology intern at Digital Federal Credit Union, now known as First Technology Federal Credit Union, while the companies were completing a merger. She helped transfer DCU employees to the First Tech domain and gained insight into how a financial institution operates.

Through the Honors College Lowell City-ship Program, Vang helped the Honors College plan and run events. She later organized an alumni panel in collaboration with the UML chapter of the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, an organization that Vang helped revive on campus.

During the winter intersession of her junior year, Vang studied abroad at Yonsei University in South Korea. Because it was not a faculty-led program, Vang managed much of the planning herself. She rented a homestay, took an introductory Big Data course and navigated a new country and culture.

“It taught me a lot of independence, especially in a foreign country where you don’t even speak the language,” says Vang, who returned home feeling happier and less stressed about classes and internships.

“I’m always encouraging students to study abroad if they can,” she says. “It truly does broaden your perspective.”

As graduation approaches, Vang is pursuing one more internship that will give her a closer look at the cybersecurity industry.  

“I’m hoping to gain opportunities where I can be more involved in the industry,” she says. “The things they teach you in class are important, but real-world experience gives you a different perspective.”