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ROCHESTER, N.Y. Jaime Campanelli loves being a part of community outreach, especially when it has to do with cybersecurity.

So today were gonna become our own cyber superheroes. Is everyone excited?" said Campanelli, a Rochester Institute of Technology fifth-year cybersecurity student.

Campanelli was speaking to a local Girl Scout troop that was participating in Cyber Security Badge Day at RIT.

I came here and learned about women in computing and they had an outreach committee and I thought oh my gosh," she said.

In high school, she took every technology and computer science class her school offered.

In my computer science class, I was one of four girls out of the class of 30, she said.

Now, she is trying to spread a message both about cybersecurity and representation.

The reason why Im passionate about it is because I didn't get the opportunity to have stuff like this, to have events that come to campus to learn about cybersecurity before I got here, Campanelli said. Making those connections with other women in the class but also saying no, I deserve to be here.

As part of RITs Women in Computing program, she gets the opportunity to teach younger generations about being safe online.

The world nowadays is so tech-involved and tech-heavy," she said. "All of my little cousins have their tablets and their iPhones. I didn't get an iPhone until I was 12 and now my 5-year-old cousin has one and it's like yes that's amazing, but teaching them how to use it and using it properly is really important."

She's educating youth on things from phishing emails to coding.

I just see the lights flash in their head or the idea pops up in their head and its interesting because again everything in their lives is tech now, Campanelli said.

She has hopes of it having an even bigger impact.

Now having events like Girl Scout Badge Day and all our other outreach events where theres at least 50 girls coming. That's 50 people whose lives we just inspire and at least help hopefully get them into the field, she said.

Campanelli has been impacted herself.

It's very humbling because again, I didnt have those experiences as a child and it just makes my heart tingle, she said.

See original here:

RIT student working to create safer community one click at a time - Spectrum News