PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas ( May 11, 2022) Canadian student Maya Swaby-Wallerson learned about African American history as a bonus to earning a bachelor’s degree in management information systems at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU). The Ontario native was unfamiliar with Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCU) while moving through the education system in her native Ontario.

Swaby-Wallerson, a student-athlete, was recruited to play soccer with the championship-winning Lady Panthers. Emmanuel Opara, D.B.A. F.I.I.M.A., professor of management information systems in the College of Business, also recruited her to be a part of his research team.

Opara earned a grant through the PVAMU Faculty Research & Innovation for Scholarly Excellence (RISE) program. RISE enables faculty researchers to expand and sustain their research through external grants and contracts while mentoring undergraduate students to become the next generation of experts. Faculty members serve as research mentors for students.

“As a member of my cyber security team, Ms. Maya Swaby-Wallerson learned about cyber security threats such as ransomware attacks. Since these threat actors continue to attack businesses with ransomware, the increasing value of having a solid incident response (IR) plan that is tested periodically cannot be overstated. We teach students to help companies remain ready to act swiftly and decisively to detect threats, respond and recover while limiting business impact and reputational risk,” said Opara, who served as a mentor for Swaby-Wallerson.

Swaby-Wallerson stated, “This research experience has helped me learn more about the technology field and helped guide me in what I want to pursue after college.”

Attending an HBCU provided multiple opportunities to expand her knowledge about Africans who are part of the diaspora and many other cultures. Because of that, she believes this has genuinely been a well-rounded educational experience.

“I wouldn’t have learned as much about African American history if I had stayed in Ontario. What was intriguing to me about attending Prairie View was learning more about my culture. I’ve learned a lot about my history, which I really enjoyed. I want to learn more,” said Swaby-Wallerson.

Next for Swaby-Wallerson is earning a graduate degree in computer information systems at PVAMU. She will pursue a master’s degree while continuing to play soccer for the university.

Swaby-Wallerson stated, “The RISE program has increased my awareness of the world and advanced my educational skills. I was able to collaborate with academic leaders within my field, and I am very honored to have been a part of the RISE program.”

To her mentor Dr. Opara, Swaby-Wallerson adds, “Thank you for giving me this wonderful opportunity. I enjoyed working with you, and I will use the tools I’ve learned from you for the rest of my life.”

 

Karen B. Cotton, MS, MA