My name is Raveen McKenzie, and I am currently a sophomore at Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) majoring in Computer Science. I chose MVSU because I attended the Women In Science and Technology (WIST) conference on the campus, and after my first time attending I felt that this school was the best choice to understand the meaning of “Computer Science”. I have always been curious about how the computer came about, and how the term “Computer Science” came about. It was always a blur to me because when “Science” was mentioned, the first thought I had was the study of life. So what did that have to do with computers? As I furthered my education in high school, I decided that I wanted to major in Computer Science because I wanted to see what it was actually about.
 
I chose to do this by attending MVSU where I received an academic scholarship.  While attending the conference, I heard the chair of the department say, “Give us four good years, and you will be set for life.” This is not only my motivation for my four undergraduate years, but it is my goal for any other degree I will be seeking. As I started my studies, I realized that Computer Science gives me a chance to think broader and different from any other way that many people think. Throughout my studies, professors offered unlimited help. This has also made me become more enthusiastic about continuing my education in Computer Science. With all the help, motivation, enthusiasm, and inspiration I am excited that I chose my desired major in the Mathematics, Computer and Information Sciences (MCIS) department.
 
In my department, all of the students are always being urged to apply for internships, go to tutoring sessions, hold study sessions, go by the professor’s office, check on your grades, and more. It was my obligation to do all those tasks because it is a necessity for me to obtain the utmost education possible and to be more confident in my field of study.
 
I was accepted into the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) at Elizabeth City State University (ESCU). My project focuses on the Pasquotank Watershed. The purpose of this particular research is to study the water quality between various waterways, and to compare the results with earlier research that was completed. The name of the project was “A comparative study to the 2011/2013 water quality assessments in the Pasquotank Watershed in Northeastern North Carolina”. With this research came with numerous amounts of field work and in house testing. In the fieldwork, the team tested for air and water temperature, wind speed and direction, turbidity, clarity, dissolved oxygen. Also, samples were collected for in house testing. The in house tests include conductivity, salinity, pH, and total dissolved oxygen. These test were done two times for six waterways. Then compared with past tests to determine whether there was a difference and its reasons.
 
After earning my undergraduate degree in Computer Science, I plan to further my education to earn my master’s degree, as well my doctorates. After completing my education I plan to pursue my career as a software engineer. I also plan to continue with studies in the Computer Science field because technology continuously changes. I also want to be able to inspire students in a way that they will make the best choice like I did with majoring in a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) discipline.