作者:Jonah Grinkewitz
Zobair Wali’s parents have always encouraged their children — four daughters and two sons — to pursue learning.
But living in Afghanistan, where it has 从历史上看 been difficult for women to access education, that was a challenge.
“The biggest reason we moved here is education,瓦利说。 of his family’s decision to immigrate to the U.S. in 2017.
在约克镇定居后, he completed his senior year of high school and started applying to colleges – every one in Virginia to be exact. He chose bet8体育娱乐入口 after being offered a merit-based scholarship and because it was close to family.
When he got to the University in 2019, Wali started out as a computer science major. 但是在收到 的奖学金 and realizing the increasing demand for 网络安全 professionals in the field, he switched to 网络安全.
Wali said coming to ODU played an important role in making him feel welcome in a new country.
“看到它的多样性, finding these different small communities within this big community of students, it really helped me to learn a lot about others,他说.
During his junior year, he discovered the 网络领袖计划 which provides two to three years of support to students in exchange for service in the federal government for the same number of years.
He received his bachelor’s degree in 网络安全 in 2023 and in May, he will walk across the stage at Kornblau Field in S.B. Ballard Stadium to receive his master’s in 网络安全 as well.
“As a member of the first cohort of the Cyber LeADERS Program, Zobair has stood out from the beginning as someone who is a great ambassador for ODU and this program,约翰·科斯坦佐说, chief administrative officer for the School of 网络安全.
The 网络领袖计划, which is funded by the National Science Foundation's CyberCorps® Scholarship for 服务 (SFS) initiative, includes a full in-state tuition scholarship, an annual stipend ranging from $27,从本科生到37美元,000 for graduate students and a professional development allowance.
“My master’s would not have been possible without this scholarship,瓦利说。. “And now it is my turn to pay that back.”
Wali has several offers for employment and is currently evaluating his options. 无论他在哪里着陆, he hopes to be able to commit time to teaching others, a passion that connects to his experience as president of the 弗吉尼亚海岸 网络安全 Student Association and executive director for Virginia 网络安全 Students, a statewide group he helped found.
Serving as president for those groups “taught me leadership, 管理, 规划, communication skills and how to work with different minds,瓦利说。.
“这群, Virginia 网络安全 Students, 刚刚建立起来, but it would not have happened without Zobair’s drive and passion for connecting with students and 网络安全 professionals,科斯坦佐说.
在ODU时, he also worked part-time for the Information 技术服务 department and later as a 网络安全 analyst for the Virginia Department of 人力资源. He said both of those experiences taught him how to interact in a professional setting and put him in a better position to get a job after college.
Outside of school and work, Wali is a big soccer fan, loves to swim and travels every chance he gets.
“我从阿富汗来到这里, my parents are not big fans of traveling, but it helps me gain perspective,他说. “I always tell myself this is an exploring phase and maybe I’ll find somewhere that I’ll just love to be.”
For now, that place is still Virginia. And seven years after coming to the U.S., he is grateful to see his siblings continue their educational journeys as well. One of his older sisters graduated from the University of Virginia, another is going to Christopher Newport University and the rest of his siblings are in high school.
“I don’t know if I am an exception, but I have had a great experience living here, and I have gratitude to people welcoming me and giving me an opportunity,瓦利说。.