Student Spotlight: Roncs Etame-Ese
Class of 2025
Degree:
Where are you from, and what brought you to Marymount?
I’m originally from Cameroon but moved to the States when I was seven, and I’ve lived in Virginia for most of my life. Marymount gave me the best opportunities in terms of scholarships and funding to continue my studies, such as through the CyberCorps program. I also liked Marymount’s smaller class sizes, the diversity of the students and professors and their multidisciplinary backgrounds.
I transferred from Northern Virginia Community College and completed my Bachelor’s in Information Technology in 2020. I signed up to do the accelerated master’s and graduated with a Master’s in Information Technology in 2021. Then I was convinced by former professors and peers to come back and complete my doctorate in Cybersecurity. I had impostor syndrome at first, since some of my peers had been working longer than I had been alive! But everyone was supportive and welcoming and helped me feel confident in my abilities. I just graduated and am now officially Dr. Roncs Etame-Ese! In total, I’ve been at Marymount for seven years and have had a very positive experience.
What has your overall Marymount experience been like?
Even as a commuter student, I had the opportunity to do a lot at Marymount. In my senior year, I was president of the auditing organization Marymount ISACA. We partnered with the greater D.C. area, hosted events and brought in speakers. I was also a walk-on athlete on Marymount’s inaugural tennis team, was involved in the African Caribbean Student Association and worked on major research initiatives like the Millennium Project, a global initiative to develop more advanced and secure technologies. We conducted specialized research using MITRE ATT&CK frameworks in red team operations to test network security. Over the years, Marymount gave me plenty of opportunities to grow academically and professionally, and I’m very grateful for that.
What is your current role, and how has Marymount supported your long-term career goals?
I currently support a military unit as the Technical Cyber Lead working on cloud security projects, and I absolutely love what I do! My academic background, especially the research side of things, has really helped me with my day-to-day work. My research focused on offensive cybersecurity—red teaming, adversarial emulations and integrating agentic AI—which are all very applicable to my current role. Beyond the technical knowledge, my Marymount education taught me to approach problems analytically—look at what’s been done, find gaps and think innovatively to come up with new solutions. Marymount’s College of Business, Innovation, Leadership and Technology teaches you to look at your field from a global and multidisciplinary perspective. It integrates tech with fields like fashion and interior design, which broadens your scope. The diversity of students and faculty helps you think globally. That’s helped me a lot in my studies, and how I approach problems and collaborate with others now in my career.
I’d like to continue working in cybersecurity on the diplomatic side in the future, maybe at an embassy. I’d also love to start a company, develop a product or pursue entrepreneurship. Later on, I’d be open to teaching as well. My unit is starting a master’s degree program and they need instructors, so I’ll be able to teach right where I work. This will provide me with great experience to build on for the future.
What advice would you give other students starting undergraduate or graduate programs?
Network—build relationships with your classmates, professors and professionals around you. Marymount is located in a hub of opportunity. Introduce yourself, be curious and stay engaged. Those connections helped me from undergrad all the way through my doctorate, and will continue to help me as I move through my professional career.
