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#NCStateCS Ambassadors

Learn more about some of the most dedicated, welcoming students in our program!

The NC State Department of Computer Science Student Ambassadors program promotes leadership and communications skills by offering students the opportunity to represent our department at a variety of academic, social and networking events held throughout the academic year, and through personal interface with prospective students through our outreach efforts.

Want an ‘in-person’ tour of Computer Science?

CS Student Ambassadors will be available to conduct ‘in person’ tours for prospective students and their parents/guardians on several dates during the academic year. Click the link below to learn more!

Visit the College of Engineering

Meet our Ambassadors

The image is a headshot of a young woman with long, dark, slightly wavy hair. She has a bright smile and is looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a two-toned polo shirt, which is dark gray across the shoulders and upper chest, and red on the lower chest. A small patch on the red section, near her right shoulder, appears to have the words "NC STATE Computer Science" or similar text. The background is a solid, medium-gray color.
Alexis Chan
[email protected]
Hometown: Holly Springs, NC
High School: Holly Springs High School
Activities: President of WiCS (Women in Computer Science), Logistics Committee for the Krispy Kreme Challenge Organization, IBM Pathfinders Program, Undergraduate Research with the IntelliMEDIA Team, Study Abroad to South Korea, sewing, crocheting, running, tennis 
Awards and Honors: Park Scholar, Grand Challenge Scholar, Dean’s List
Anticipated Graduation Date: Spring 2027
What I plan to do after graduation: I will pursue a career in software engineering that that will expand into the technical program management space. 
Why I Love Computer Science: Computer Science has given me so many opportunities and has opened doors that I didn’t even know existed. It’s a blank canvas that can be used to transform lives, businesses, and the world. CS also leads to incredible careers that will financially support me and my family. Additionally, I have paired Computer Science with Business Administration so one day, I can build my own company to make a positive, sustaining impact on our beautiful world. 
The image is an outdoor photo of a young woman with long, dark hair, smiling while seated at a small, round, dark table. She is wearing a dark blazer over a patterned, low-cut top with pink and yellow tones, and dark pants. She has a subtle gold necklace and earrings. She is sitting in a modern outdoor plaza or terraced garden, which is bathed in bright sunlight. Behind her are large, structured planting beds made of light gray concrete, containing dry, brownish grasses and several bright orange, pink, and red tulips in bloom. In the background, there are young trees, metal railings, and a modern building structure.
Sohini Das
[email protected]
Hometown: Morrisville, NC
High School: Raleigh Charter High School
Activities: WiCS iNSPIRE program founder, IT Board for Krispy Kreme Challenge, Park Ambassador
Awards and Honors: Park Scholar, Lenovo Scholar, Distinguished Young Women’s Scholarship, Gold Presidential Volunteer Service Award, Dean’s List
Anticipated Graduation Date: June 2027
Why I Love Computer Science: 
What I love most about CS is that it touches everything. Whether it’s medicine, art, finance, sustainability, or social justice—there’s always a technological layer quietly powering what’s possible. At NC State, I came in balancing interests in business, biology, and CS, unsure of what direction to commit to. But as I dug deeper—especially through hands-on research in cybersecurity and machine learning—I realized that CS isn’t a limitation; it’s a launchpad. Through experiences at places like Google and LexisNexis, I’ve seen firsthand how CS can scale ideas, accelerate innovation, and make real systems smarter. It’s everywhere, but more importantly, it enables everything. That’s what excites me. I want to be part of building tools that are both technically sound and human-centered—tools that actually make a difference.
Equally meaningful to me is the community. I’ve grown up around programs like Girls Who Code and now continue that journey through Women in Computer Science at NC State. These spaces remind me that CS isn’t just about algorithms—it’s about access, representation, and the belief that diverse perspectives create better solutions.
Today, whether I’m prototyping a new idea, exploring AI in health tech, or mentoring someone who’s just starting out, I’m constantly inspired by how dynamic this field is. It’s both deeply logical and wildly creative. 
The image is a headshot of a young woman with long, straight, brown hair, smiling and looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a small gold necklace and earrings. She is wearing a two-toned polo shirt, which is dark gray across the shoulders and upper chest, and red on the lower chest. A small patch on the red section, near her right shoulder, has the words "NC STATE University Computer Science" or similar text. The background is a solid, light gray or white gradient.
Hannah Estes
[email protected]
Hometown: Covington, Louisiana
High School: Fontainebleau High School
Activities: Undergraduate/Graduate Research, Study Abroad, Traveling, and Visiting Local Spots (coffee, food, dessert, and everything in between!)
Awards and Honors: Faculty Senior Scholar Nominee, Dean’s List, FEDD Winner
Anticipated Graduation Date: December 2028
What I plan to do after graduation: I graduated with my Bachelor’s in Computer Science at NC State in 2024; I am now pursuing my Master’s and Ph.D. in Computer Science! Afterward, I plan to continue researching at an R1 university and pursue academia.
Why I Love Computer Science: I love computer science for its variety, breadth, and impact on society. Computer science has revolutionized everything we do in every industry and everyone’s lives. It has connected the world, and there are infinite opportunities to learn from or work with people from different backgrounds and cultures on any topic you can imagine.
The image is a headshot of a young man with short, dark, curly hair, smiling and looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a two-toned polo shirt, which is dark gray across the shoulders and upper chest, and red on the lower chest. A small patch on the red section, near his right shoulder, appears to have the words "NC STATE University Computer Science" or similar text. The background is a solid, medium-gray color.
Shiva Gadireddy
[email protected]
Hometown: Concord, NC
High School: Cox Mill High School
Activities: Student Government, Research, STARS Computing, Disc Golf, Intramural Cricket, Cooking, Reading, Traveling
Awards and Honors: Park Scholar, Dean’s List
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2026
What I plan to do after graduation: I am planning to pursue a Master’s Degree in graduate school and am interested in artificial intelligence and data science.
Why I Love Computer Science: I like the idea of having a new challenge every day to work toward problem-solving. While there is no single answer to solving a computer science problem, it is equally as fun and rewarding to figure out the most efficient solution. With how fast the field evolves, computer science pushes me to always learn new things and to be the best version of myself!
The image is a headshot of a young woman with long, dark, wavy hair. She is wearing large, stylish eyeglasses with a dark frame and small pearl stud earrings. She has a slight, closed-lip smile and is looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a two-toned polo shirt, which is dark gray across the shoulders and upper chest, and red on the lower chest. The background is a solid, medium-gray color.
Jagruthi Haresamudhra
[email protected]
Hometown: Bengaluru, India (Currently in the Charlotte/Waxhaw area though)
High School: Ardrey Kell High School
Activities: Women in Computer Science (WiCS), Women and Minority Engineering Program (WMEP), Crocheting
Awards and Honors: Dean’s List
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028
What I plan to do after graduation: I plan to pursue a career in Cybersecurity, that’s always been the goal since I started undergrad. Before jumping into the workforce, though, I want to earn a Master’s degree in Cybersecurity. 
Why I Love Computer Science: I love computer science because of its incredible versatility – it opens up so many different paths and opportunities. I first started coding in high school, and I was immediately captivated by it. The sense of accomplishment I felt after debugging a program was unlike anything else. There’s something uniquely gratifying about programming and working with technology that I haven’t experienced in any other field. It challenges both my creativity and problem-solving skills, which is why it resonates with me so well. What also excites me about studying computer science is how relevant and impactful it is in today’s world.
Kayla Heath
[email protected]
Hometown: Camden, NC
High School: Camden Early College High School
Activities: Crocheting, Gardening, Volunteering, Listening to Music/Concerts
Awards and Honors: Dean’s List, Tau Beta Pi Honor Society
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2027
What I plan to do after graduation: I interned as a Data Analyst at Booth & Associates and plan on trying a software engineering role to see which I would prefer as a career after graduating.
Why I Love Computer Science: I love the creative and problem-solving processes that come with computer science. Coding can be a challenging, but fun process that almost feels similar to solving a puzzle. My favorite part is watching just some lines of code turn into something exciting especially after hard work. The theory sides of computer science have also changed the ways I view many things both inside and outside of the field!
Victor Hermida
[email protected]
Hometown: Oxford, NC
High School: JF Webb SHLS
Activities: President of LA/CSC, STARS Corp, C3 Ambassador, C3 Mentor, START Mentor
Awards and Honors: STARS AI Scholar
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2026
What I plan to do after graduation: I want to either go into Software Engineering/ Developer or Cybersecurity.
Why I Love Computer Science: I mainly chose this major during community college just knowing that it’s coding and pays extremely well, but I came to NC State not knowing any code and struggled through my courses, but the feeling of being able to complete code or understand code gave me a good feeling to want to do more and learn more. I started to realize when I’m stuck on a problem, I’ll try to take a break, but I tend to always go back to the problem to figure it out. Now I want to help others who just started computer science to give them an easier path than I did which showed me my passion for Computer Science.
Monica Jin
[email protected]
Hometown: Cary, NC
High School: Apex High School
Activities: App Development Club, Video Game Development Club, Committee Member for Women in Computer Science, IBM Mentorship Program, AIICE Student Advisory Board, Undergraduate Research
Awards and Honors: Park Scholar, Grand Challenges Scholar, Dean’s List
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2027
What I plan to do after graduation: I plan to pursue a career in software engineering.
Why I Love Computer Science: I initially decided to major in computer science because I enjoyed math and liked problem solving, but I didn’t really understand what it was all about until I got to NC State and participated in some of our various computer science communities. I learned about all the different applications of computer science, from developing video games and apps, to its helpful applications in AI and cybersecurity, and I realized how limitless computer science truly is. This field is growing fast, and I’m so excited to be a part of it!
The image is a headshot of a young woman with long, dark, wavy hair, smiling and looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a small necklace and a two-toned polo shirt, which is dark gray across the shoulders and upper chest, and red on the lower chest. A patch on the dark gray section, near her left shoulder, has the words "STUDENT AMBASSADOR." The background is a solid, medium-gray color.
Ashika Kamjula
[email protected]
Hometown: Cary, North Carolina 
High School: North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM)
Activities: Undergraduate Research, Undergraduate Grant Assistant, COE & CS Ambassador, WiCs, InspireENGR Director
Awards and Honors: Park Scholarship, Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship, NCWIT Regional Affiliate Winner, Dean’s List
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028
What I plan to do after graduation: After graduation I plan on pursuing a career in software development and product management, hopefully in the AI and Machine Learning based preventative diagnostics and precision medicine space! 
Why I Love Computer Science: Computer science has become a core part of everyone’s lives. From groundbreaking medical software to reshaping education to driving critical business tools, it’s incredibly versatile and constantly adapting to what the world needs. As someone who loves the ability to create and problem solve, CS is an avenue and tool to solve some of the most interdisciplinary challenges the world has to offer. 
Heba Kitsy
[email protected]
Hometown: Cary, NC
High School: Triangle Math and Science Academy
Activities: Women and Minorities in Engineering (WMEP), traveling, reading
Awards and Honors: Dean’s List
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2027
What I plan to do after graduation: I plan to pursue a career in software engineering.
Why I Love Computer Science: I love computer science because of its innovative and creative nature. I enjoy the critical thinking and problem-solving skills involved in this field, allowing me to create meaningful solutions and make a real-world impact through technology.
The image is a headshot of a young man with short, voluminous, dark brown curly hair and light eyes. He is smiling widely and looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a two-toned polo shirt, which is dark gray across the shoulders and upper chest, and red on the lower chest. A small patch on the red section, near his right shoulder, appears to have the words "NC STATE UNIVERSITY Computer Science" or similar text. The background is a solid, medium-gray color.
Cooper Lentz
[email protected]
Hometown: Cary, NC
High School: Green Level High School
Activities: Undergraduate Teaching Assistance (CSC 216/217), Information Security Student Association (ISSA), Theta Tau Engineering Fraternity
Honors and Awards: University Honors Program, Dean’s List
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028
What I plan to do after graduation: I would like to become a software engineer, maybe after a master’s degree through the ABM program. My main current interest is in developing security tools and helping modernize defense technology.
Why I Love Computer Science: I personally love computer science because of how many unique applications of it there are, and how they’re all constantly changing. For me, it’s invigorating to know there’s new ideas, technologies, and applications of the concepts we learn in class being used in industry every day. If you’re interested in learning new things, it will never be boring. That being said, I’m probably just addicted to the dopamine hit I get whenever my code works.
The image is a headshot of a young woman with shoulder-length, dark hair that has prominent blonde highlights framing her face. She is smiling and looking directly at the camera. She is wearing small earrings and a two-toned polo shirt, which is dark gray across the shoulders and upper chest, and red on the lower chest. A small patch on the red section, near her right shoulder, appears to have the words "NC STATE UNIVERSITY Computer Science" or similar text. The background is a solid, medium-gray color.
Sophia Nunez
[email protected]
Hometown: Cary, NC
High School: Green Hope High School
Activities: Women in Computer Science, Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Village, Biochemistry Club, Intramural Volleyball, Java Teaching Assistant
Awards and Honors: Dean’s list
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2027
What I plan to do after graduation: I interned with Meta as a general SWE intern, and plan on doing something similar in the future. I’ve really enjoyed my time as a software engineer and hope to find a subfield to pursue further!
Why I Love Computer Science: Growing up, I’ve always had an interest in STEM, which is why I originally wanted to work in biochemistry. I learned python in my freshman year for research and found it to be super fun, later teaching myself HTML/CSS as well. I added on a computer science minor after that, realizing that I wanted to pursue it as a career. I’ve found that I enjoy getting to build new things and expand my skills in ways that will help me achieve my goals. I love this field because it lets me challenge myself, using my skills to put ideas to life and have a real impact.
The image is a headshot of a young man with short, styled brown hair and light eyes. He is smiling slightly and looking directly at the camera. He is wearing a two-toned polo shirt, which is dark gray across the shoulders and upper chest, and red on the lower chest. A small patch on the red section, near his right shoulder, appears to have the words "NC STATE UNIVERSITY Computer Science" or similar text. The background is a solid, medium-gray color.
Brendan Swanson
[email protected]
Hometown: Cary, North Carolina
High School: Green Hope High School
Activities: App Development Club (Android lead), University Honors Program, undergraduate research, listening to music, hiking, Minecraft modding
Awards and Honors: Dean’s List
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2028
What I plan to do after graduation: I want to pursue a career in software engineering, likely involving platform engineering or DevOps.
Why I Love Computer Science: Computer science is such a broad field with so much open-access knowledge that there is always something new to learn. Writing software is one of the fastest ways to convert an idea into reality, and it feels amazing to use my knowledge to build something that improves someone’s life. I also love thinking of creative solutions to complex problems, and working on a software project gives you a new, interesting challenge every day to look forward to.
The image is a headshot of a young woman with long, dark hair. She is wearing dark-rimmed eyeglasses, smiling brightly, and looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a two-toned polo shirt, which is dark gray across the shoulders and upper chest, and red on the lower chest. The background is a solid, medium-gray color.
Nicole Tan
[email protected]
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
High School: Butler High School
Activities: Vice President of Women in Computer Science (WiCS). Designer at Agromeck, Honors Ambassador, App Development Club, Undergrad Research
Awards and Honors: University Honors Program
Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2027
What I plan to do after graduation: After graduation, I plan to start my career as a front-end developer focused on UI/UX design and Human-Computer Interaction. I’m passionate about creating intuitive, user-centered experiences and hope to grow into leadership roles managing teams and projects. Eventually, I may pursue an MBA to enhance my skills in leadership and product strategy.
Why I Love Computer Science: I love computer science because it challenges me to approach problems in both logical and creative ways. Since taking a basic CS class in middle school, I’ve enjoyed writing code and turning it into functional projects. What really excites me is creating something meaningful, building tools and experiences that people can actually use and interact with. Whether I’m designing a simple interface or coding the behind-the-scenes functionality that makes an app run smoothly, it’s incredibly rewarding to know that my work can have a real impact.
The image is an outdoor, brightly lit portrait of a young woman with long, straight brown hair, smiling broadly and looking directly at the camera. She is wearing a deep V-neck emerald green top with billowy sleeves, a delicate gold necklace with a square pendant, and large, round-framed eyeglasses. She is making the "rock on" hand gesture (devil horns) with both hands, fingers painted with light blue or mint nail polish. The background features vibrant red angular structures—a tall red panel directly behind her and a triangular red shape on the left. Behind the structures, there are concrete steps and walkways, and a lush green landscape with trees under a bright blue sky, suggesting a sunny day in an urban park or campus setting.
Madison Thompson
[email protected]
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
High School: STEM Early College at NC A&T State University
Activities: Club Softball, Undergraduate Research, Wakeboarding, Coffee lover
Awards & Honors: Goodnight Scholar, Greenhouse Scholar, Grand Challenge Scholar, Franklin Scholar
Anticipated Graduation Date: December 2026
What I plan to do after graduation: I am currently doing biomedical research with data science applications and I plan to pursue a Ph.D. in bioinformatics.
Why I Love Computer Science: I initially intended to become a biomedical engineer, however, when researching how to write code for data analysis, I quickly fell in love with CS. The use of logic and data structures “clicked” for me, and learning CS has enabled me to address complicated issues with grace and creativity. I feel empowered by computer science because it enables me to introduce innovation to any opportunity that I am part of, therefore bettering the world around me. I am continuously fascinated by the endless opportunities that are available to computer scientists as software continues to revolutionize modern society.