HEAD IN the CLOUD

By: Nyla Gayle, Class of 2022

By: Nyla Gayle, Class of 2022

Only 3.5 percent of STEM bachelor’s degree holders are Latinas. Alumna Amanda Alfaro is in that small percentage as a graduate of LSU’s College of Engineering and a software engineer at PTS Solutions, Inc. Amanda is a trailblazer for progress, but she’s not stopping at her day job. She serves as an advocate for and mentor to other young women of color seeking to access and advance in STEM felds.

Amanda was born in San Antonio, Tex. and moved to Baton Rouge at the age of seven. Leaving her extended family and moving to a place not many people looked like her was painful, so Amanda turned to academics to help dull that pain. Her commitment to her schoolwork paid off, as she was accepted to Baton Rouge Magnet High School, and later, BRYC.

With BRYC’s resources and support, and the encouragement and guidance of her College Mentor, Lauren, Amanda raised her ACT score signifcantly and gained admission to LSU with zero loan debt. She started off unsure of her major and career path but soon found the perfect ft in computer science.

Amanda enjoyed her high school math and science classes, but witnessing her mother’s friend work with computers fascinated her. The thought of being able to control a computer, particularly in service of others, intrigued her. Computer science’s diverse professional opportunities and real-world applications sealed the deal for Amanda.

Amanda had to adjust to the rigorous computer science classes at LSU but eventually was able to manage her course load, which included business, gaming, and coding classes, and much more. She supplemented her major coursework with communication classes, which helped her address various audiences and clearly present ideas.

As a woman of color in STEM, Amanda believes she is a representative for students from similar backgrounds. She hopes to be an example for what’s possible for minority and frst-generation students interested in felds in which they are typically underrepresented. Amanda remembers seeing fewer than fve people of color in most of her computer science classes. Although the computer science feld has begun to value diversity more, Amanda found it diffcult to speak up during group projects. She felt voiceless until she found the Women in Computer Science (WICS) club, a place where she built community and confdence.

WICS is dedicated to “the professional and academic development of women and others studying computer science and related felds at LSU.” During her time in WICS, Amanda attended several national conferences, mentored younger students, and served as an offcer in the organization. She will sit on WICS’ Women in Tech Panel later this year, one of the many ways Amanda remains an advocate in the broader community.

During senior year at LSU, Amanda landed an internship with PTS Solutions Inc., where she currently works full-time. As a quality assurance engineer, Amanda develops public safety applications, like computer-aided dispatching software and prison management systems. She feels strongly about her job’s value to society. “Our business is important,” Amanda explained. ”Proper development and testing for our applications has major quality-of-life implications.” More importantly, she connects her work now to her long-time passion for social progress and said that “grappling with and fnding solutions to societal problems has me in the position I’m in today.”

Amanda is one of three people of color and four women in an offce of 17. Being the youngest was intimidating at frst, but she has worked through the initial discomfort and now feels included and valued as a colleague. And Amanda is more purpose-driven than ever. When she steps into her offce, she turns into a superheroine working to better the world through technology and pave the way for young women with similar aspirations.

ForAlumna Beatrice “Bea” Kariuki, life is all about doing things you love to the fullest. She lives by this principle every day, and her college experience was no exception.

As a Kenyan immigrant who moved to the U.S. in 2011 during ninth grade, Bea had to quickly adjust to South Louisiana culture and a new school in Broadmoor High. She says that, from the beginning, she was determined to reach her dreams of college and understood the privilege she was given to study in the U.S. Most daunting for Bea was how uninformed she was about the American postsecondary education system. That’s where BRYC came in. “I had an idea of the things I wanted to do and where I wanted to be,” Bea said, “but BRYC was that catalyst I needed to push myself out of my comfort zone. BRYC took that fear of not knowing what’s coming, and I’m very grateful for that.”

On BRYC’s 2013 Atlanta College Tour, Emory “felt like home,” and Bea decided to apply. She was accepted with a robust fnancial aid package but didn’t stop there, ultimately securing the highly coveted Gates Millennium Scholarship (now called the Gates Scholarship). From an applicant pool of tens of thousands nationwide, Bea was one of 300 to earn the full ride, which follows recipients to whichever colleges they choose to attend.

Bea plunged right into her four years at Emory. She graduated with a degree in neuroscience and behavioral biology, minoring in women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. Bea now works full-time in Atlanta as a business immigration analyst at a law frm called Seyfarth Shaw LLP.

Bea urges Fellows not just to get involved on campus but to go all in. “My passions and interests paved the way for the things I ended up being

By: Tanielma Costa, Class of 2020

involved in. Knowing things that interest you, knowing things that you’re passionate about motivates you to be involved in those organizations.”

Indeed she was immersed in furry of activities. Bea saw Emory as her playground to be explored. She speaks of how exhilarating the national Gates conventions in Washington, D.C. were and how they inspired her to take on the roles of vice president, and later, president of Emory’s Gates Scholars chapter. Protesting after the death of Trayvon Martin her freshman year led to many social justice-focused activities in and outside of school, like getting people to register to vote. Bea volunteered through a national service organization, served as president and vice president of the Resident Hall Association, and was a campus ambassador, leading tours and information sessions for prospective students and families. Perhaps her most beloved activity was volunteering at Children’s Healthcare in Atlanta, which led to her summer abroad at University College London prior to her senior year. There she studied healthcare delivery in the United Kingdom and U.S.

I was exhausted just hearing about all Bea has done, but she said, “I wouldn’t take it back.” That’s because each experience was fulflling and meaningful, just like my interview with Bea. As an immigrant, I’m inspired by her example.

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