Student Spotlight: Anna Enwright

Class of 2027

Major:

Hometown:

Syracuse, NY

What brought you to Marymount?

The University’s Cybersecurity program is one of the best, and I knew the D.C. area would be a great place to network and make connections within the field. My dad is a cyber professor in upstate New York, and he encouraged me to come to Marymount, study cybersecurity and establish myself here. So here I am!

What has your Marymount experience been like so far?

I’m a rising junior, and so far I have had a great experience. I love the program and the professors, and the campus community is just amazing. My freshman year, I started a Marymount chapter of the National Women in Cybersecurity Club (WiCyS), which we call Cyber Saints. That has helped me find a great community on campus, making my experience so much more fulfilling.

I’ve also had the opportunity to work as a supplemental instructor for some of the introductory IT courses and work as a research intern in the Marymount Cyber Clinic. We do nonprofit work for small businesses in the area, setting up their IT and cyber infrastructure for free. So I’ve had lots of cool experiences so far!

What inspired you to start a WiCyS chapter at Marymount?

WiCyS is a national organization with chapters all over the country aimed at helping women advance in the cybersecurity field. I got involved in WiCyS during high school after my dad took me to its annual conference in Denver. I got an in-depth look at the cybersecurity field and all of the amazing opportunities available in the industry, and that helped me decide what I wanted to study. Marymount has such a heavy STEM focus, so when I came to campus I thought a WiCyS chapter would fit right in. We started small, with just me and a few friends, but now we have over 60 members across our undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs. But what’s awesome is that it isn’t just for cyber majors—it’s open to everyone. Technology touches so many industries, so it can be super beneficial for anyone and everyone to be a Cyber Saint!

What do the Cyber Saints do?

First and foremost, we serve as a support network for technology students, especially for Computer Science and Cybersecurity majors. We host lots of events throughout the year, including monthly coffee hours to help students build community and connections across majors. We also participate in networking events with other universities and have set up tours of local government agencies such as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Last semester, we went to the White House and spoke with some of the professionals there about their work and opportunities within the executive branch.

Nine students, including me, were also able to attend the national WiCyS conference in Nashville this year. We met so many amazing people and made lots of great connections that we plan to use to bring lots of exciting things to campus next semester. We hope to host a cyber conference at Marymount next year, with career fairs and presentations from cyber professionals, and invite other area schools. There are lots of exciting things on the horizon, and I can’t wait to see how the club continues to grow.

What are you looking forward to as you enter your junior year?

This summer, I will be interning as a risk and financial advisory intern at Deloitte, which I am excited about. I can’t wait to take what I’ve learned and bring it back to campus to improve Cyber Saints. I am also hoping to study abroad in Ireland during the spring semester at the University of Cork. I have never traveled abroad before, so that would be a really incredible experience. Once I graduate, I hope to return to Marymount to get a master’s degree in Cybersecurity, and then work in the risk analysis and supply chain field. I’m hoping all of these experiences help me become a more well-rounded professional.