Emma Delph faced down her fears, embraced cutting-edge research and capitalized on her Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering opportunities. The result -- the Informatics major with a cognate in Cybersecurity and minor in Computer Science is poised to begin a software engineering career for Walmart Global Tech in San Francisco.
“Luddy has been an immense pillar of support in my academic journey,” Delph said, “and has offered me so many opportunities.”
The Luddy School’s Class of 2024 Winter Student Recognition Celebration at the IU Auditorium celebrated Delph along with 189 graduates who earned bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D’s. in computer science, data science, informatics, information science, intelligent systems engineering, library science, secure computing and bioinformatics.
These graduates understand that their Luddy degrees have positioned them for success.
“The culture of hard work and networking here is phenomenal,” said Ashley, who earned his master’s in Intelligent Systems Engineering and who was the Winter Ceremony’s student speaker.
Added Peyton Johnson, who earned her degree in Computer Science specializing in Cybersecurity: “Luddy challenged me to be the best student possible while still allowing me to pursue other interests. I am forever grateful for all the memories I’ve made at Luddy through the various programs and opportunities offered here.”
Luddy Dean Joanna Millunchick, said graduates have gained technical expertise and social awareness while at Luddy. She said they now have the tools and skills to adapt, thrive, create and shape. Amid an ever-changing tech world, she said, Luddy graduates are well equipped to leave a lasting impact on the world.
Delph was homeschooled until high school and didn’t have much exposure to technology in a school setting. She was concerned that she would struggle in college.
“Flash forward three years,” she said, “and so much has changed.”
Delph took advantage of Luddy opportunities to become a Grace Hopper Scholar, vice president of Women in Cybersecurity and earn a Bachelor’s degree in less than four years. She began research in IOT security projects involving the new Matter connectivity standard through the System Security Foundations lab directed by Luyi Xing, associate professor of Computer Science. She also attended the prestigious Network and Distributed System Security Symposium last spring in San Diego.
“I am beyond grateful for all the people who took a chance on me and mentored me,” Delph said.
Johnson said the Luddy School’s collaborative approach made her feel at home and positioned her for a career in network security.
The Luddy School’s willingness to provide the academic freedom to achieve career objectives, Ashley said, was invaluable. He said having the flexibility to select courses that aligned with his interests “allowed me to tailor my education and explore various tech fields while staying true to my goals.”
Ashley said the Luddy School provided a platform for him to “realize my potential in the tech world” with its emphasis on developing technical and soft skills such as presenting and collaboration.
The result -- he has accepted a job as an AI Full Stack Developer in Kansas. He will work with AI models and develop full-stack mobile applications to help farmers with livestock management on their ranches.
“Luddy has been instrumental in giving me a strong foundation in AI and full-stack development,” he said. “That’s allowed me to approach this (developer) role at a much more advanced level.”
Ashley also praised the Luddy School’s focus on interdisciplinary collaboration that enabled him to “broaden my knowledge and gain insights from other fields, further preparing me for this diverse role.”
Luddy opportunities and mentorships were game changers for Ashley.
“I hope future students take full advantage of Luddy’s resources in education, research and career development,” he said.
During his speech, Ashley mixed humor with his message of hope and opportunity. He talked about surviving exams, sleepless nights and “the dreaded phrase, ‘Your code has failed to comply.’” He addressed the challenges that come from working with algorithms, AI model dissection and complex codes.
Coming from a small town in India, Ashley praised how Bloomington and the Luddy School changed his life for the better in multiple ways.
“I’ve met people from all sorts of backgrounds and learned about the challenges they’ve faced. Luddy didn’t just teach us about technology, it taught us about resilience, creativity and the critical skill of keeping a straight face while saying, ‘It works on my system!’
“We’re leaving here with a toolkit full of skills that are going to change the world – or at least impress our grandmothers when we plug in the right wire on the TV!”
Ashley highlighted a professor’s lasting-impact comment in which, “It’s OK to accept that you don’t know something rather than be ambiguous. It gives you the opportunity to learn it.”
Ashley said that stuck with him because, “I realize that it’s OK not to have it all figured out. Life’s not about having all the answers – it’s about being open to learning, growing and adapting as we go.”
Ashley closed by saying, “If all else fails, we can always reboot and try again… Let’s go out there and break some code, and maybe a few stereotypes along the way. Let’s make magic happen in the real world, where the only thing more unpredictable than life is the Wi-Fi connection!”
Stacey Arnold, assistant dean of Student Services, told graduates that they would join more than 24,000 Luddy alumni, and more than 700,000 Indiana University alumni. She ended the ceremony by thanking them for their hard work.
“We know you will achieve great things, just as you have during your time as a student.”
Musical entertainment was provided by Jacobs School of Music organist James Walton.