Chanthea

I am a recent Smith College graduate where I majored in computer Science with a concentration in Community engagement. I moved to the US from Antigua in 2018 to pursue my education. I discovered cybersecurity after working as an application support aide. The idea of cybersecurity policies and the online behavior of people motivated me to want to find out more.

I came across the AntiguaRecon community on Linkedin after hearing about it from a friend. While growing up in Antigua, I was never able to participate in extracurricular STEM activities. This was due to financial reasons. Because of this, I had the long term goal of creating a space similar to AntiguaRecon where young people could get together and build community while learning STEM. Thus, once I saw the work that AntiguaRecon was doing, I jumped at the opportunity to participate in any way I could.  Given my experiences, I knew the importance of having these types of communities while growing up, and I wanted to find a way to participate.

Upon reaching out, I was able to chat with Adam and welcomed to the AntiguaRecon community. As someone working remotely from the US, I was very worried about how I would connect with the greater group. This was something that over time no longer became an issue as everyone was so welcoming and open to helping in any way they could.

To me, AntiguaRecon embodies a community where I can work with others who share the same interest as me. As a member of the AntiguaRecon team, I hope to help support others with an interest in cybersecurity, and to continue to be a representative for women in STEM in Antigua.