Congratulations to Central Washington University Freshman Nova Beal-Pengelly on being awarded Fractional CISO’s 2025 vCISO Cybersecurity Scholarship! Fractional CISO Founder & CEO Rob Black presented her the award in a video call.
Josiah’s interest in STEM began when he was just five years old when he got his first computer. Even at his young age, he’s actively put his interest towards helping his community through participation at his local library.
Please read his cybersecurity journey in his own words, below!
Josiah Said’s Cybersecurity Journey
Laptop fans hummed quietly in the cool technology room at the Racine Public Library. My heart raced as I began my first Python class in front of eager patrons. I started my presentation, communicating basic programming concepts using clear, concrete examples. Patrons were asking questions and showing interest in the topic. Then, the door quickly swung open. A man introduced himself as a reporter for the Racine Journal Times and wanted to write an article about my class. This was the beginning of my pursuit of a career in STEM.
My passion for STEM began at five years old, when my parents bought our first family computer. I was intent on learning more about it and challenging myself on my knowledge with increasingly complex problems. With the knowledge I have gained through 14 years of challenging myself, the question I ask myself is not “How will I use STEM principles to improve the world?” but rather “How can I use STEM principles to improve the world, now?”
As my knowledge progressed, my impact expanded from my family to serving my entire community. At my library, I assist in bridging the digital divide in my community by working with patrons on tech problems they are experiencing. I’ve removed malicious viruses from patrons’ computers and replaced batteries for several veterans’ cell phones. Unemployed individuals have sought assistance in writing resumes before I connected them to job opportunities. Most rewarding is when I host classes on the Microsoft Office Suite, computer programming, cybersecurity basics, and 3D printing to offer services for community members of all ages intent on learning more about technology.
Utilizing my computer programming skills, I created an automation system built to interact with librarians’ marketing requests for events at my local library. Several librarians have offered feedback on my program saying that it has saved them substantial amounts of time and allowed them to better plan for their events. Through the library, I was able to go on a weekly outreach to a local middle school, where I taught a Computer Science class to 25 students using the code.org curriculum. During the class we covered concepts such as computer programming and cybersecurity. Many students improved their problem solving skills, and I directly inspired three students to begin pursuing a career in STEM.
Continuing my work at the library, I sought out additional opportunities to increase my impact on my local community. Soon, I began working as a tutor for my local technical college, where I help increase equity by assisting students in need with their homework, primarily in STEM subjects such as networking, computer programming, cybersecurity, and mathematics.
Despite working two part-time jobs, the income I earn is not enough to fully support myself as I pursue my bachelor’s degree. Receiving this scholarship would provide critical financial relief to continue my studies and further pursue cybersecurity as a career, where I can continue to bridge digital divides and inspire the next generation, constantly answering the question of how I can use STEM to improve the world, now!
Want to get great cybersecurity content delivered to your inbox? Click here to sign up for our monthly newsletter, Tales from the Click.
