For Women’s History Month, we wanted to highlight some of the wonderful women working at the Leahy Center! First up is Katie Hopkins, a second-year Computer Networking and Cybersecurity major, with a minor in Business Administration. She is from Pembroke, New Hampshire, and is currently working on the Vermont Privacy Project at the Leahy Center. In the past, she has worked on the NMap Scanner team for the Leahy Center as well.

What made you choose to major within the information technology field?

I originally wanted to be a criminal justice or computer science major, but then after some research my junior year of high school, I learned that cybersecurity was a major and then ultimately chose to pursue a career in cybersecurity.

What was your first experience with technology?

One of my very first experiences with technology was playing around in the settings of my family’s shared computer and helping my family with a lot of their small daily tech troubles.

Are there any females in tech that you look up to?

I look up to and respect all of the women currently at Champlain and any alumni in tech majors that have ultimately carved the way for me to be where I am today.

What are the pros and cons of being a woman in tech?

The best part about being a woman in tech is that other women in tech are very supportive of one another, but the con of being a woman in tech is that you always have to work way harder than your male colleagues to work for the goals you have.

What advice would you give to younger women who are interested in getting into the tech field?

Simply put, don’t underestimate yourself.

Why is it important to have women in the tech field?

Representation of women is essential in the tech field. The more women that are making the often tough decision to try and get a job in the tech field will create a domino effect that will ultimately shrink the huge disproportion of women to men that currently exists.

What would you like to achieve in the tech field in the future?

My current goal is to become a cybersecurity consultant.

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