“My interest in computer science started back in high school when I realized how much I enjoyed working with computers and technology,” Miller explained. “I took a few engineering classes, but it was a digital electronics course in my senior year that really sparked my passion.”

The course gave him a better understanding of digital systems and made him curious to learn more about computer science.

“As I explored the field more, I saw that computer science combined creativity, logic, and innovation in a unique way.” Miller said. “I was excited by the idea of using technology to solve real-world problems and make a positive impact on people’s lives. Plus, with technology advancing so quickly and computer science becoming more important in so many industries, I knew that pursuing this field would open a lot of opportunities for me.”

Miller also cultivated an interest in coding and building computers, which he explored during his second semester at ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock.

“It was during this time that I discovered my enthusiasm for cybersecurity,” he said. “After taking an introductory course and a digital forensics class as electives, I found myself captivated by the content, tools, and subject matter. This newfound passion inspired me to earn a Certificate of Proficiency in Cybersecurity.”

Miller sought out practical, hands-on experience that has contributed to his growth and development in his areas of study.

“As a freshman, I secured employment in the Cyber Arena and Emerging Analytics Center during my second semester,” he said. “This opportunity has been invaluable, enabling me to expand my knowledge and skills in both cybersecurity and computer science.”

The experience has allowed him to explore these fields in depth, build programs, and apply his knowledge to real-world scenarios.

“The Cyber Arena has been an invaluable resource for me, offering experiences that I wouldn’t have had access to in a traditional classroom setting,” Miller said.

Over the last three semesters, he collaborated with friends on various class projects.

“These experiences have not only enhanced my learning but have also allowed me to form meaningful friendships that I wouldn’t have had otherwise,” he said. “Working together on these projects has taught me the value of teamwork, communication, and problem-solving in a collaborative environment.”

The Department of Computer Science has designed certificate programs to both allow students pursuing a bachelor’s degree to earn stackable and complementary credentials and to serve working adults seeking to change careers or upskill in their current jobs, said Dr. Albert Baker, department chair.

“It is very encouraging to have our current students taking advantage of certificate opportunities in the way that Ben has,” Baker said. “The combination of a B.S. in computer science and a certificate in cybersecurity will assuredly open up exciting and lucrative career opportunities for him.”

Throughout his academic journey, Miller said his parents, Billy and Sarah Miller, have been incredibly supportive and instrumental in his success.

“My father, who works in the cybersecurity industry, has been particularly helpful in exploring the fields of computer science and cybersecurity with me,” he said. “Dr. Sandra Leiterman and Dr. Philip Huff,  leaders in the  ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock Trojan Cyber Arena, have offered encouragement and assistance in navigating challenges with classes.”

Miller added that Chris Newton, a pastor at New Life Church in Cabot, has been a pillar of support, always ready to lend an ear and provide encouragement. Brandon Fertig, the father of a friend who is in the computer science project management field, has been “a constant source of encouragement and has provided invaluable guidance in my career search. I am incredibly grateful for the support and guidance these individuals have provided throughout my academic journey,” he said.

After graduation, Miller hopes to work in cybersecurity within the Little Rock area.

“My goal is to pursue a career path in digital forensics or incident response,” he said. “To enhance my qualifications, I am also working towards an AWS certification, which I aim to complete shortly after graduation.”

AWS (Amazon Web Services) Certification helps learners build credibility and confidence by validating their cloud expertise with an industry-recognized credential.

“At the end of the day, my interest in computer science came from a mix of my early experiences with digital electronics, my hands-on coding practice, and my desire to use technology to make a difference,” Miller said. “This passion has motivated me to pursue a career in computer science and keep growing my knowledge and skills in this constantly evolving field.”

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The innovative new program will emphasize a combination of scholarships, internships, apprenticeships, talent management, and workforce development with ACDS industry partners to help provide a career path for ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock students to fill the state’s growing need for information technology workers.

“We are privileged and excited to present this unique, new opportunity for students, employers, ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock, ACDS, and the workforce of the State of Arkansas,” said Dr. Albert Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science at ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock. “As students receive an internship and/or apprenticeship through our partnership with ACDS, our highly qualified students can graduate with a good amount of experience, all while receiving academic credit and a fair wage for their work.”

The support pathway for students provides professional work experience as well as employment opportunities and benefits for ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock students. Meanwhile, the program enhances workforce development in Arkansas by providing employers opportunities to hire well educated job candidates.

“This is our innovative approach to solve the tech talent gap,” said Lonnie Emard, director of apprenticeship at Arkansas Center for Data Sciences. “Whether we are finding college students who haven’t had the chance for an internship or recruiting those who haven’t had a chance to go to college, we knew we needed to find a way to nurture our efforts to add capacity to our skilled workforce in the state. With this partnership, we can give a lot more students the chance to cut their teeth on meaningful work experience earlier in their college career so they can solidify their career paths.”

The ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock Department of Computer Science has several endowed scholarships that they are using to attract talented high school students while providing support for freshmen and sophomores.

Students who apply for an internship and/or apprenticeship with ACDS will undergo a competitive application process including a technical and critical thinking assessment, interviews, and a background check. Once approved, successful applicants will receive talent career training before they are matched with one of ACDS’s industry partners.

Students who are selected for internships receive valuable work and mentorship experience while interning for one with of ACDS’s employer partners. The ACDS provides wages for the interns, which are sponsored by federal grants ACDS has received. This is a win-win as employers get early access to ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock’s computer science and cybersecurity students and students get exposure to area employers.

Meanwhile, students selected for apprenticeships will be hired as full-time employees with benefits who receive on-the-job training from an experienced mentor while earning a competitive salary. Most apprenticeships last at least one year, which gives the student time to complete their undergraduate degree while their financial obstacles are minimized. Apprentices have the added bonus that some of their work is eligible for academic credit. If they work for a company that provides tuition reimbursement, the apprentice may be eligible to use these benefits for their remaining credit hours as they complete their college degree.

“Students who follow this career pathway program will graduate with lower net expenses and real work experience that will definitely make them stand out on their resumes,” Baker said. “They will enter the workforce with knowledge of all the great employers that are available in Arkansas so that we can retain our homegrown talent.”

Since ACDS began its apprenticeship program, 127 partner companies have provided 700 apprenticeships to Arkansas residents.

ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock students from the Department of Computer Science may apply for an internship and/or apprenticeship through the ACDS partnership .

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Senior Adam Perry, a native of Bryant, is graduating this semester with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a minor in mathematics.

“I feel amazing!” Perry remarked. “I had some high school credits coming into ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock, so I am graduating a semester early. I have an apartment and a full-time job lined up, so I am ready. I am ready to celebrate this graduation as the pandemic shut down my high school graduation in 2020.”

Perry has been interested in computer science as a career path after taking computer science classes for three years at Bryant High School. His high school teacher recommended ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock as a good place to study computer science, and Perry was already familiar with the campus as his father and sister are alumni of the university. He described his experience at ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock as “amazing.”

“It was a little rough in the beginning because of the pandemic,” Perry remembered. “As soon as I could move on campus after the first year of being home, it was awesome. I love my roommates, and I was able to get connected with clubs like the Baptist Collegiate Ministry and Association for Computing Machinery (ACM). The classes have been pretty good, and I feel like I’ve learned a great base knowledge to push my career forward.”

At ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock, Perry served as president of the ACM, a research assistant in the Emerging Analytics Center, an ambassador for the Donaghey College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and a founder of the ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rocket League Esports team. He was inspired to start the league after participating in the Rocket League Esports team and becoming a state champion while at Bryant High School.

Dr. Albert Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science, has been teaching Perry’s capstone project course this semester and sees nothing but bright things in his future.

“It’s been my pleasure to have Adam as a student in the Capstone Project class this fall,” Baker said. “Teams are developing a web application that provides a graphic representation of employers and employees. Adam’s team is producing an excellent prototype web application leveraging a graphics library. Adam is going to be a valuable contributor to any enterprise fortunate enough to engage his services.”

This summer, Perry began an internship at Southwest Power Pool, where he has been working on password automation, website security, and web application development. The company has been so impressed with his work that Perry’s internship was extended through the fall semester, and he will begin a full-time position as a programmer in January.

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Brandon Huckaby, a native of Horatio who now lives in Little Rock, will graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and a second chance to get the career he’s always dreamed of.

The first time around, Huckaby attended Henderson State University and earned a bachelor’s degree in biology, but he never actually used that degree in his career.

“After getting that degree, I started working in data analytics,” Huckaby said. “It was when I hit about 30 that I realized I liked working with computers. Why don’t I go back and get a proper education in computer science? I got a job in data engineering. I did everything backward. I had the job, but I didn’t have the educational framework.”

So Huckaby joined ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock in 2021 as a part-time student. After three semesters, he found it difficult to work full time and maintain his schoolwork.

“When I decided to come back to school, I was coming here to ace it, work hard, and do my best,” Huckaby said. “I was really having to juggle a lot. My wife Amy very generously encouraged me to take a break from full-time work and focus on academia. I don’t know of very many people who would support their spouses in quitting their very lucrative full-time job in order to chase a dream, however much of an investment that dream may be, but she did. She understood how much getting an education in computer science and a second chance in academia meant to me and pushed me to go for it.”

Coming back as a full-time student in 2022 gave Huckaby time for new opportunities, such as working as a research assistant for Dr. Mary Yang, a professor of information science. Yang has been working on a research project involving single cell RNA sequencing, and Huckaby has been testing computer programs developed by her doctoral students and setting up the GitHub repository which hosts the program code and sample datasets.

He is also thankful to Dr. Aryabrata Basu and Dr. Iván Rodríguez-Conde, computer science professors, who encouraged him to go to graduate school and pursue research in the Emerging Analytics Center.

“Brandon has been an energetic and productive member of his Capstone Project team,” said Dr. Albert Baker, chair of the Department of Computer Science. “The project requires development of a web application supporting the entry of data for, and the subsequent visualization of, employer genealogies and employees. The graphic representation developed by Brandon’s team required mastering of the technical aspects of utilization of a graphics library and the creative design of a graphic representation of underlying directed graph of employer and employee information. The point of that detail is that we can be confident that Brandon will be a valued contributing member of any organization fortunate enough to retain his services.”

His classes have led to some interesting projects. One of his favorite projects was a team project in an artificial intelligence class with Professor Mariofanna Milanova with classmates Dako Albeik and Luka Woodson.

“I had the opportunity to collaborate with Dako and Luka, and our semester project was a neural network that we designed and trained to play the card game Spades,” Huckaby said. “That further inflamed my interests.”

In January, Huckaby will begin the graduate program in computer science and will work as a graduate assistant in the Emerging Analytics Center.

“I’m very excited for this opportunity, and I want to dig deep,” he said. “In going to graduate school, I’ll be trying to see what the world of research and working in a lab is all about. In coming back to ĚÇĐÄVlog´«Ă˝ Little Rock, I feel like I’ve been able to take academia seriously and find something I’m passionate about.”

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