My name is Nartezya Dykes, and I am currently a rising sophomore at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. While I am pursuing a major in Computer and Information Sciences, I continue to explore other disciplines and their correlation to computer science and my primary interests to conduct future research on or to be knowledgeable of alternative career paths.

Noted science journalist and author Roger A. Lewin once said, “Too often students are given answers to remember, rather than problems to solve.” The latter part of this statement has pushed me to pursue a degree in computing while simultaneously nurturing the growth of ambition and a spirit of determination within me. Thus, the desire to be high achieving and to go beyond what is expected for me as a black female in the sciences is instilled in me and manifests itself in my coursework and the activities that I am apart of. What further motivates me stems from my thirst for knowledge and a passion to help others. Combining my interest in technology, love for mathematics, and the impact technology has on the evolution of businesses with my “ Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) passions,” I decided to major in Computer Science-an undergraduate program that will surely give me an opportunity to embrace every aspect of my interests.

I believe in being versatile and having fundamental skills necessary in today’s society to meet the needs of the people whether they are clients, institutions of higher educations, or cooperations. The route that I am taking will lead me to great heights and provide many opportunities for me to help others along the way. My educational plans are to attain a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer and Information Sciences. If job prospects remain high, I plan to seek a position after completing my bachelor’s degree that will also allow me to work on earning my Masters degree in Business Administration with a core or focus in information technology. My ultimate goal is to become a computer and information systems manager as well as establish and secure my own technology consulting firm. A primary focus of my own company will be to help provide innovative solutions to the world’s problems, ensure that the organization stays abreast of new developments and advancements in technology, and have the most substantial affect on the lives of others.

Most importantly, after the completion of my degree, I will make substantial efforts to contribute to my hometown financially due to the dire need to encourage the youth to attend college. I want to create a multi-purpose center in my hometown to be used for recreation, after-school tutoring, and weekend activities as well. Growing up in such a small town, I know that there are little things to keep young minds busy. For this reason kids turn to violence and trouble and end up in places where their full potential is constrained from being reached. As a young leader in the community, I want to continue to inspire the youth to reach their potential no matter where I am located. They are the next generation of scientists, mathematicians, and engineers- they are the foundation of a better future.

Most recently, for the summer of 2011 I had the opportunity to participate in the Undergraduate Research Experience in Ocean, Marine, and Polar Sciences at Elizabeth City State University under the leadership of Principle Investigator Dr. Linda Hayden. The title of my team’s research was “Charles Creek Flood Zone Modeling: A Correlation Study of Environmental Conditions Versus Water Level in the Pasquotank Watershed,” and it was under the mentorship of Mr. Je’aime Powell. The objective of the research was to develop an equation that will approximate a model of the rise of the creek water level using collected data from a remote imaging system based on the environmental conditions.