From WAVY10 by: Regina Mobley
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — From the sky, there is no limit. 21-year-old Jaidan Williams, who is a cyber security major at Old Dominion University, is along for the ride at NASA Langley Research Center as a 2022 intern.
Williams graduated from Granby High School in 2018 and is attending ODU on a full scholarship that requires government service.
“I just present myself as a sponge. Every day, I’m learning something new; I’m getting tasked to do things that actually allow me to apply my classroom knowledge to real-life situations,” said Williams from the 13th floor of Dominion Tower in downtown Norfolk.
She’s soaking in what she needs to know, and thanks to a new program, she is shoring up who she needs to know. Jaidan is part of the Hampton Roads Workforce Council’s Campus 757 program.
“So through programming such as professional development workshops, networking, and social and fun events in the community, we feel that if we connect them on a deeper level, they would be more likely to stay after graduation.
We noticed that when college students visit here from another state or even if they are local, they tend to stay siloed in their particular areas. They don’t venture out, they don’t explore, they don’t meet new people,” said Campus757 Program Director Jaedda Hall.
“So what we’re hoping is that this program gets them connected and help them discover that his place is great to start a career start a family to live work and to play.”
For now, this Granby High school alum, a comet, is ready to soar with the 757.
“We have the military, we have state and local governments, we have a hospital system here and definitely there are a lot of areas where I can fit in as a cyber security major…I can find employment and still have a good life,” said Williams.
Registration remains open for the Campus757 program.
Click this Campus757 link to apply or call 757-477-6957.
