BAM program

From NOVA to NNSA, this student is putting people first in cybersecurity

sholla4 — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:18:50 +0000

From NOVA to NNSA, this student is putting people first in cybersecurity sholla4 Fri, 08/21/2026 - 09:18

Siddartha Shakya believes that there's more to cybersecurity than just hacking. The 911�� Bachelor's to Accelerated Master's Applied Science student spent his summer interning with the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), and now he’s even more confident in the importance of balancing humans and machines.

Photo provided

After graduating from high school, Shakya took a two-year gap before starting his studies at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA). Both financially and mentally, Shakya said he wasn't ready for college. But after working a few unfulfilling jobs, he knew it was time to go back.

"I always remember being the tech kid in my family: helping my parents set up their computers, teaching them how to navigate websites, and things like that," he said. Part of that role included protecting them from online scams. "I decided I wanted to go into a field where I could help prevent scams, so no families have to go through that."

Shakya transferred to 911�� through the ADVANCE Program after earning his associate of applied science in cybersecurity. During his time at both schools, Shakya worked to fill out his resume and develop his skills. He dove into the world of cyber competitions with the National Cyber League, U.S. Cyber Games, and PatriotHacks, among others.

He completed multiple certifications through the Computing Technology Industry Association and was named a 2025 ISACA Greater Washington DC Chapter Scholar, Cyber Ready Professionals Consortium Cohort 3 Scholar, and CrowdStrike × Cyber Skyline Mentee. And he made sure to give back through volunteering opportunities like the College of Engineering and Computing's Spring into STEM.

"I was constantly looking for ways to learn, gain experience, help other people, and get involved where I could," he said.

The one thing missing? A paid internship. Through the U.S. Cyber Games, Shakya connected with the U.S. Department of Energy Scholars Program, earning a spot in the summer 2026 cohort and an internship with the NNSA.

Shakya has worked on two main projects. The first is a full assessment of the NNSA's Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management Hub, combing through documentation for outdated policy, practice, or information. The second is piloting NetRise: a software supply chain security program. Specifically, he's cataloging what artificial intelligence (AI) systems are being used across the organization and whether they comply with the NNSA's cybersecurity policies.

"There's a big push toward AI use, and with that comes a push for transparency and making sure all software aligns with our mission and security standards," Shakya explained.

Getting hands-on with so many different AI tools is something Shakya hopes can be applied to his coursework and future career, particularly because he's planning a future in federal work. "People think cybersecurity is all about hacking," he said. "But it's also about communication. If you can't communicate clearly about the tools, what to use, and how to use them, then there are going to be mistakes and delays."

That person-first approach was a revelation for Shakya. As evidenced by his long resume of team-based cyber competitions and his enjoyment of the course IT 343 IT Project Management, "I like to work in teams, I like talking to people. I always want a balance of technical work and people-facing work."

And taking an authentic, person-first approach is also his best advice for fellow students. "Network, meet people, and be yourself," he said. "I know there's an urge to over-prepare for interviews, but people crave authenticity. Practice, but don't read off a script."

Learn more about the College of Engineering and Computing

Topics

Students

Internship

College of Engineering and Computing

Building a career that holds water

Nathan Kahl — Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:26:51 +0000

Building a career that holds water Nathan Kahl Thu, 02/12/2026 - 10:26

“Some passions are genetic,” said Michael Smedley, a senior civil and infrastructure engineering student in the College of Engineering and Computing at 911��. “My mom was a proud water engineer at Fairfax Water. After she arranged for a cub scout troop tour of the Griffith water treatment facility on the Occoquan, water processes were my passion.”

Smedley is in the Bachelor's to Accelerated Master's (BAM) program, concentrating on environmental and water resources engineering. His particular interest is in water treatment.

While Smedley’s three older siblings chose other Virginia universities, the Burke native appreciated how close 911�� was to his home, and the campus tour impressed him.

“In high school I got really good at calculus and AP environmental science and my mom said, ‘Oh, well, you know what that means. You can try civil engineering,’” he said with a smile. “I don't regret it.”

Smedley loves every opportunity he has to get out in the field. Photo provided.

He cites BAM’s benefits. He was working on a minor in environmental engineering and his advisor, Lisa Nolder, currently director for student affairs and academic excellence in the Department of Cyber Security Engineering, explained that he could forgo the minor and spend that time working toward his master’s. “Lisa really helped me get set up with that and understand what it was.”

While at 911�� he first had an internship at Fairfax Water, where he worked in the planning department, running simulations on water pressure at fire hydrants, called fire flows, and enjoying the opportunity to take field trips to the water treatment facility. He then had an internship with CDM Smith, an engineering, design, and construction firm.

“I’ve been there for two years and I'm going back this summer. I really like the nitty gritty calculations, and you get to go see the work up close. And that's really, like, magical for me,” he said.

At Fairfax Water, he helps with design calculations, which is what he wants to focus on professionally. “It’s doing calculations on flows and making a rough sketch of what a device or system then should look like, based on flow simulations.”

Smedley said last summer he learned from his experience at a water treatment plant in Fredericksburg, a facility in the process of doubling in size. He was stationed out of the facility for two weeks, where he had free rein to look at different treatment processes and collect data. “I saw every stage of that water treatment plant.”

Where some people don’t think twice about some rainfall or the course of a flow, Smedley loves it. “I would watch the stream outside my bedroom window during high precipitation events. The flow of water has always fascinated me.”

He’s graduating with his bachelor's this semester and plans to complete his master’s in December 2026. “I have learned so much about how we try to control the uncontrollable. I learned how the private and public sectors differ, and I hope to incorporate this into how I contribute to the water industry,” said Smedley. “Water is a topic that is discussed more frequently in this ever-changing environment. I hope to bring a little piece of stability and consistency to a world that thirsts for more.”

Topics

water resource engineering

water quality

civil and infrastructure engineering

BAM program

internships

College of Engineering and Computing

Students

CEC BAM program

Skills Learned in Jurisprudence Learning Community Help Student Land Full-Time Position

Andrew J Schappert — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:19:03 +0000

Skills Learned in Jurisprudence Learning Community Help Student Land Full-Time Position Andrew J Schappert Wed, 10/22/2025 - 08:19

Cameron Chambers likes a plan. As a high school senior, the Bethesda, Maryland, native already had his career path mapped out.

Cameron Chambers: “I was looking at any opportunity as an undergraduate to get my foot in the door and also investigate law as a practice and see if it was something I would do.”

Now a Bachelor’s/Accelerated Master’s (BAM) student majoring in accounting in the Costello College of Business, Chambers chose 911�� specifically for the BAM pathway and the opportunity to jumpstart his education and achieve his goal of practicing tax law.

“People always said, ‘Think of education as an investment,’ so I just researched it,” he said. “911�� offered the BAM program and I could apply to be a CPA. It lets me do that faster so I can go to law school. It gave me a good place to do all those things.”

As an undergraduate in the Honors College, Chambers explored avenues that would enhance his interest in a future law career. He is a member of the 911�� Academic Standards Committee and an editor for the Undergraduate Law Review, part of the Schar School Patriot Pre-Law Program.

He also discovered the Jurisprudence Learning Community (JPLC), one of four faculty-led communities, each with its own academic theme, housed in the Schar School of Policy and Government. JPLC is open to any sophomores, juniors, and seniors who plan on pursuing law school following graduation or are interested in learning how the law pertains to a career in public administration, policy, or politics.

“I was looking at any opportunity as an undergraduate to get my foot in the door and also investigate law as a practice and see if it was something I would do,” he said.

In addition to joining a community of peers interested in law and attending field trips in and around the Washington, D.C., area, Chambers gained something unexpected in the JPLC.

“We were assigned a lot of legal research projects,” he said. “I don’t do that as an accounting major.”

The experience of doing research served Chambers well when he interned for eight weeks last summer at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) doing mergers and acquisitions.

“There’s a lot of tax code I had to go through,” he said. “That legal research skill set that I got was invaluable. Other people didn’t have it. And I thought ‘Why am I not struggling?’ Because I did this.”

Chambers, slated to graduate in December and begin next semester as a graduate student, credits JPLC with helping him secure a full-time offer from PwC as a tax associate starting in the summer. He reached out to Shea Holman, director of JPLC, to share the good news.

“I told her that the [JPLC] class prepped me for this perfectly,” he said. “It was that legal research ability that differentiated me and definitely helped me get that return offer in a competitive space.”

For more information about the Jurisprudence Learning Community or any of the Schar School’s other learning communities, visit the Schar School Learning Community webpage.