Student Spotlight: Natasha Menon
Class of 2025
Degree:
Hometown:
Fort Belvoir, Va.
Where are you from and what brought you to Marymount?
I grew up in a military family—my dad is active duty in the Army, so I moved around a lot throughout my life. We lived in Arizona for a time, and I started college at Arizona State University. Eventually, my family moved to the D.C. area, and after two years at ASU, I decided I wanted to move to the DMV and be closer to them. I actually saw the Marymount University sign on the side of 395, and thought I should apply to transfer there along with the other DMV schools I was looking at. Then I got in and decided to attend Marymount, and it has been an amazing experience!
What has your overall Marymount experience been like?
Marymount was basically the exact opposite of my first two years in college. ASU is a massive school with almost 72,000 students on the main campus alone. My classes used to be packed with hundreds of students, and the professors couldn’t possibly build a connection with everyone. Coming to Marymount was such a shock because it was so different. Suddenly, I was in a class with only 20 other students, and I found myself learning better and grasping concepts better in that smaller, more personalized environment. I was also able to build really strong connections with professors, which led to lots of great internships and professional development opportunities for me. The small environment also really helped me make some amazing friends that I think I will be close with for life. Honestly, I like Marymount a lot more than ASU. I’ve had such a great experience here, even coming in halfway through my college career. I feel like I found a part of myself here and have grown into the person I always wanted to be.
What are some opportunities you’ve had through Marymount?
My professors helped me apply for and get accepted into the Millennium Pathfinders Internship, which was a six-week program in Florida with cybersecurity and software tracks that gave students job training and access to security clearances and certifications needed for higher-level software development jobs. Being part of that program was like nothing I could have ever imagined. I also had the chance to volunteer for the From Caregiver to Breadwinner program that Dr. Murphy runs, which helps women acquire the skills and certifications needed to re-enter the workforce after taking time away. It touched my heart to help those women and have a direct impact on my community. Lastly, I’ve been able to get involved in an amazing undergraduate research project that I will be presenting at the Student Research Conference at the end of the semester. Getting to explore the research side of technology has been so eye-opening and has taught me so much. So I’ve had some incredible opportunities here at Marymount which have helped me grow personally and professionally.
What is your advice to new college students?
Try and get into different clubs and organizations. Putting yourself out there will help you meet new people and give you a sense of community. It can be really hard for freshmen to leave home and go to college, but when you surround yourself with people who have the same interests and passions, it helps you not feel so alone. Joining those clubs and organizations will also lead to many opportunities for personal and professional growth—they will help you build your résumé, make friends and give you the growth that you need.
