Computer science graduate leaves her comfort zone to find career path

Mia Thompson graduated from high school during the COVID-19 pandemic, so you’ll have to excuse her giant smile as she prepares to walk across the stage as an Augusta University graduate.

“I didn’t have a ceremony back then, so I am trying to soak it in every chance I get,” said Thompson, who will graduate from AU’s School of Computer and Cyber Sciences with a degree in computer science.

The St. Mary’s, Georgia, native originally came to AU with the intention of pursuing medicine. After two years, she realized that wasn’t her path after all. Multiple discussions and several career aptitude tests later, she landed on computer science.

Thompson’s parents were concerned at first, but after talking with upperclassmen and considering what options awaited them after college, they realized she was figuring out what path she needed to take to help her succeed.

“I wanted to do something with logic and reasoning and not just having to memorize everything because that’s what I felt like I was doing with biology,” Thompson said. “I took my first Python class, and I fell in love with it.”

Creativity was another component that meant a lot to Thompson, saying she wanted the freedom of working through a problem and finding success by thinking it through. The creativity, she said, also describes software development.

Thompson said it was a bit uncomfortable at first because the culture and perception behind computer science is that it is a male-dominated field. In her first classes, she was one of three women in a class of 20, which made it a little bit more intimidating.

She made it a top priority to make sure she did well with her studies, but it was also a priority to create a space where she felt comfortable in the field.

“A friend of mine, who is now my roommate, founded Girls Who Code the same year I switched over. She served as president, and I served as vice president, and I think that’s what helped that transition go well for me,” Thompson said. “Overall, I really had to come out of my comfort zone and talk to people that I didn’t know or talk to the professor a little bit more.”

Thompson said the classes she took with Mike Dowell, PhD, were different, but in a good way. He always made it entertaining, especially the hard topics. She also said that being a student who didn’t originally plan on pursuing a degree in computer science and having Dowell as a professor helped diffuse any anxiety she might have had.

“I literally can’t say that I didn’t learn from him. Dr. Dowell really wants you to learn, and you can tell he’s very passionate about what he’s saying,” Thompson said. “I’ve learned the most from him.

“One of the challenges that I experienced was being surrounded by people who programmed or did cybersecurity, what seemed like 24/7, and it felt like I was always behind,” she continued. “To have a professor that I felt comfortable asking what felt like stupid questions to was really helpful in my journey to just like figuring out these classes and stuff like that.”

Thompson said one of the biggest challenges throughout was the knowledge of working an internship while doing research in the ever-changing field.

“They’re always talking about getting an internship and needing to do research because computer science is always changing. Cybersecurity is always growing, and there’s always a new bug that comes out,” she said. “I think that that was a little bit intimidating at first, but I did go out and try to be as proactive as possible. I joined a research group, and I applied for scholarships. I got those, which gave me even more resources.”

During her collegiate career, she was a CyberCorps Scholarship for Service scholarship recipient and a VICEROY scholar, and she obtained Sec+ Certification. In 2023, she interned at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, New York, through VICEROY, and in 2024, she interned at Savannah River Nuclear Solutions in operations tech.

When she first got involved with Girls Who Code in early 2022, Thompson met Jason Orlosky, PhD, an associate professor of computer science. She worked in his lab, which focuses on augmented reality and virtual reality, for almost two years. She later had the opportunity to present a poster at the IEEEVR Conference, an experience that meant a lot to her because of the diverse environment she found herself in.

She said working in Orlosky’s lab taught her so much in programming and mathematics. He thought she had a very positive outlook and a unique combination of kindness and curiosity. He’s been happy to see her progress through the program and see how far she’s come with the same attitude.

“Those characteristics were a positive influence on our lab culture, and I think Mia inspired the students around her to be better versions of themselves,” Orlosky said. “She has been a very consistent representative for many years, evidenced by her diverse skill set and roles in Girls Who Code, the AR/VR lab, external internships and interactions with her peers.”

Orlosky also offered some advice as she prepares to graduate.

“Any path you take in life will come with its own difficulties and challenges. Pick something worthwhile and let those in need be your guide if you ever lose your way,” he said. 

Thompson will take a short break before joining SRNS in the new year. She said she will be forever grateful for her time at AU and what it means to be a Jaguar for life.

“I think it means that I’ll always have a place to come back to because I’m not from here, but I definitely feel like a native,” she said. “The school has been so supportive. I’ve never experienced a person or a department where I couldn’t ask questions and be helped in some way.”