Learning through Active Discovery, Engagement, Reflection, and Showcase (LeADERS) is a program designed to help students get the most out of their college experience by intentionally connecting academics, personal growth, and professional development. For me, it served as a roadmap. Coming into college, it felt daunting trying to figure out how “just being a student” would translate into being ready for the real world. LeADERS gave me a framework to be intentional about the experiences I pursued and the skills I was building along the way.

What I didn’t expect was how much the program would push me outside of my comfort zone, and how valuable that would turn out to be. From living in a cybersecurity-focused community to exploring entrepreneurship and policy, each experience challenged me to think beyond the technical box I naturally gravitate toward as a cybersecurity major. The thread that ties all five experiences together isn’t a single skill; it’s a mindset. Critical thinking, interdisciplinary awareness, and the willingness to approach problems from angles that aren’t always obvious in a purely technical field.

That mindset is something I carry directly into my career. Now working in cloud security and operations as a Site Reliability Engineer, I draw on more than just technical knowledge; I draw on the broader perspective that LeADERS helped me build.