Opportunity, Sincerity, and Perseverance: Messages from 2024 Cybersecurity Graduates

Twenty-two students will complete a two year journey on Saturday afternoon and walk the stage to receive their Master of Science in Cybersecurity (MS Cybersecurity) during Georgia Tech's commencement ceremony.

However, before their last day at Georgia Tech, three students graduating from the School of Cybersecurity and Privacy (SCP) shared advice and words of encouragement they hope will inspire current and future students. 

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Sneha Talwalkar wants the next generation of Georgia Tech graduate students to know that their opportunities are limitless, and they need to treat their master’s program like an extended professional development opportunity.

Talwalkar’s list of resources for master’s students also includes volunteering, mentoring, resume reviews, paper reviews, guest lectures, and talk series like So You Want to be a Professor, and using the Communication Center in the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons.

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From exploring different cybersecurity topics in her degree to exploring Atlanta’s most popular attractions, Alicia Biju has made the most of her two years as a graduate student. Her commitment to enriched experiences is best demonstrated by her application to the 2023 Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship.

“Look at your passion for cybersecurity and see where you want to be,” she said. “Don’t be superficial, be sincere. It will take you far!” 

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Samdup Choephel’s positive outlook on life has helped him endure incredible challenges, including crossing the Himalayas on foot as a refugee and protecting the electronic data of the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), also known as the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. 

While being a master’s student offered its own set of unique challenges, he reflected on his growth as a person and as a cybersecurity expert.

“If I had to say one thing to current students, it would be to keep going,” he said. “You have come so far, and you were accepted to Georgia Tech, which wasn’t easy.” 

Residential and online cybersecurity master’s students pursue a track in Cyber-Physical Systems, Information Security, or Policy during their time in the program. Regardless of their track, however, all students in the program will take at least one class from each track to ensure a well-rounded experience. 

“Our students are incredibly committed to our mission of creating security for everyone, in everything, every day,” said SCP Chair Michael Bailey. “I have no doubt their leadership will continue to influence and inspire future generations of cybersecurity professionals.”

The 2024 MS Cybersecurity recipients are:

• Ranjith Dhamodharan Andal Radhakrishnan
• Shraddha Bhat
• Kumardwij Bhatnagar
• Alicia Biju
• Samdup Choephel
• Irawati Edlabadkar
• Mahima Jaikanth
• Pranau Kumar Lakshmi Narasimhan
• Xinyue Li
• Zixiao Li
• Siddharth Madikeri
• Meenakshi Siva Priya Manikandaswamy
• Juan Pablo Martinez Delbugio
• Smith Kantibhai Patel
• Varun Chowdhary Paturi
• Saee Umesh Petkar
• Esha Ashish Ponda
• Akarshita Shankar
• Sneha Talwalkar
• Yuting Tan
• Sree Bhavana Yedlapalli
• Yufeng Zhou

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