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Cinthya Grajeda ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™17 talks about overcoming culture shock, going with her gut, and doing things her way.

Unorthodox is a word that could be used to describe Cinthya GrajedaÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™s route to the University of New Haven. When Cinthya was one year old, her mother moved to the United States from their home country of Guatemala, working three jobs in order to provide a better life for Cinthya and her three siblings, who stayed behind and were raised by family members. Cinthya followed eleven years later. At the age of 21, just two classes shy of an associateÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™s degree at a local community college, Cinthya was recruited to join the U.S. Army. After serving for eight years, including two deployments to Iraq ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ” the second of which earned her the rank of sergeant ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ” Cinthya returned home and enrolled at the University of New Haven, majoring in cyber systems ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ” a program now called cybersecurity & networks ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ” at the Taglietela College of Engineering. In May 2017, she became the first person in her family to graduate from college. Today, Cinthya is a masterÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™s candidate at the University with a focus on cyber forensics and security.

Where do you think your tenacity comes from?

My father died when I was six months old. My mother did her best to raise me and my siblings, but it was difficult to make ends meet. She sacrificed, living alone in an unfamiliar country. She was brave. There have been times in my life where every day was about survival. I thought about my mother in those times. I channeled her courage. IÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™ve always wanted to make her proud.

What was the hardest thing about moving to the United States?

Middle school was a challenging time for me. It was an incredible culture shock, and I had difficulty at first learning to speak English. I would come home after school and watch TV in English ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ” The Dragon Ball series, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and Bill Nye the Science Guy. The hardest thing for me was trying to communication with my peers in English. I was also a little shy, so that did not help me much.

How did you become interested in having a career in computers?

When I moved to the United States, I took a community education class where all of the students built their own computers. I had my own station in the classroom. I was surrounded by all sorts of tools, parts, and software. There were instructors, but I had difficulty understanding them since I was not fluent in English then. Despite that, I was able to build my own computer from scratch. I still consider this to be one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of my life.

How is your time in the Army a part of the fabric of your story?

When you think of a soldier, you donÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™t picture a fourfoot- ten female fighting in a war. I saw it as a huge challenge that gave me purpose. Through the military, I found myself. I found my voice. I found an inner strength that helps me to never be afraid. The idea of having a job took on a whole new meaning. Every day, I was defending my country. That was my life.

What makes University of New Haven your home away from home?

I joined the Cyber Forensics Research and Education Group at the University as an undergraduate. The members of this group are exemplary individuals. They push me to be the best. They influence how I approach every day. Being a part of this group has exposed me to new people and new places. IÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™ve partnered with professors on groundbreaking research. These people are my peers and my colleagues ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ” but they are also my family.

My advice is to take risks for things that you are passionate about, and to never give up on following your dreams. So many strong women before us have paved the way by doing just that. They proved that we are just as capable of making an impact on the world as men are.Cinthya Grajeda ÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™17

What advice would you give to other women who work in male-dominated fields?

Women can do anything that they set their minds to. My advice is to take risks for things that you are passionate about, and to never give up on following your dreams. So many strong women before us have paved the way by doing just that. They proved that we are just as capable of making an impact on the world as men are. We should be role models for the next generation of women coming up.

When you look back on where youÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™ve come from and all that you have accomplished, how would you summarize where you are at this point in your life?

I have always tried to excel. I feel driven to continue growing in life both personally and professionally. I have found purpose and I have served. And IÐÓ°ÉÔ­°æ™m not done yet.