Where I am From Doesn't Define Where I am Going

By Dominique Wise

Cybersecurity Major | Class of 2028 | Columbus State Community College

My name is Dominique Wise, and this is the story of how I got to where I am today. I am 20 years old and was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio. From a young age, I have always been interested in electronics, computers, and software. I enjoyed taking things apart, building things from scratch, and figuring out how they worked. My parents supported my interests by getting me the latest gaming consoles and finding different projects and things for me to build. Even when I was younger, I knew that I wanted to turn my interest in technology into a career someday.

I spent my entire K–12 education in Columbus City Schools. Growing up, I became aware that the school district had many challenges, especially when it came to providing students with the same educational opportunities. My first school was Alpine Elementary, which I considered to be one of the better schools I attended during my elementary years. I had a great experience there and enjoyed learning. Because of that, I was excited to move on to middle school and continue my education.

When I started attending Woodward Park Middle School, I noticed a major difference in the way education was structured. Students were divided into three teams: Blue, Gold, and Silver. The Blue Team was designed for advanced learners and provided students with opportunities to take higher-level classes. The Gold Team consisted of students taking regular-level courses, while the Silver Team generally moved at a slower pace and included students who needed additional time and support with their schoolwork.

During my first year, I was placed on the Gold Team. Although I was doing well, I quickly realized that I was not being challenged enough. I wanted to learn more and push myself academically, so I requested to move to the Blue Team. Unfortunately, my request was denied. I began feeling like I was stuck in a cycle where I was completing my work but not actually progressing as much as I could have. At times, I felt that some of my teachers were not putting enough effort into challenging their students or helping them reach their potential.

The one thing that continued to challenge me was the robotics club. Robotics gave me the opportunity to work with technology, solve problems, and build things. It was also one of the biggest reasons I realized that I wanted to pursue a career in STEM. I would hear stories from friends on the Blue Team about the difficult assignments they were receiving and the new things they were learning almost every day. I wanted that same opportunity.

It was not until my final year of middle school that one of the Blue Team teachers recognized my work and helped me move to the team. From the first day, I noticed a major difference. The teachers had organized syllabi, course schedules, more advanced readings, and assignments that felt closer to high school and even college-level work. For the first time at that school, I felt like I had the freedom to challenge myself and explore what I was capable of learning. Although I only spent one year on the Blue Team, that experience gave me a head start going into high school.

I attended Beechcroft High School, and my freshman year was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. During my first year, we spent the first semester learning remotely. The transition to remote learning made it difficult to receive the same quality of education and support that I might have received in a normal classroom. Many things felt rushed, and I felt that some important learning opportunities were lost.

As I continued through high school, I became more aware of the limitations within my school. I felt that certain opportunities were not equally available to every student. For example, during my junior year, I took precalculus, but there were only eight students enrolled in the class. I knew other students who had the ability to take the course, but they were not aware that it was even available to them. This made me question how students were being informed about advanced classes and opportunities.

I also became aware of financial challenges within the school. From what I observed, the school was attempting to reduce expenses by cutting teachers and classes. Some of the classes affected or considered for cuts included mathematics, finance, and political science. These were subjects that I believed were important because they could help prepare students for college, careers, and everyday life. I felt that reducing these opportunities could make it harder for students to prepare for what comes after high school.

By my senior year, I was taking four college-credit courses: AP Calculus, English, Industrial Robotics, and Political Science. I was also taking a finance course that I understood was at risk of being eliminated. Most of these classes had fewer than ten students. Some of the courses were taught by high school teachers through partnerships or credentials connected to institutions such as Columbus State Community College and Kenyon College. These classes showed me how valuable advanced educational opportunities could be when students were actually given access to them.

During the final part of my senior year, I began applying to colleges. My school paid the application fees for up to five schools, and students were often divided into groups while applying. Faculty members helped different groups in different ways, which I found unusual. My group had a different experience when an admissions counselor from Ohio Wesleyan University visited our school and spoke with us about the university. After the visit, several students in my group applied and later visited Ohio Wesleyan as part of a school field trip.

A few weeks later, many of us received scholarships that helped cover housing and tuition. I continued applying for additional scholarships and was able to receive enough financial assistance to cover most of my college expenses. However, I noticed that opportunities like this were not always presented equally to every student. Many students had the opportunity to attend Columbus State Community College for two years at little or no cost through available programs, but after that, they often had to do their own research to find four-year universities or other educational opportunities.

I ultimately committed to Ohio Wesleyan University to study Electrical Engineering. I entered college believing that I was prepared to begin the next chapter of my education. However, during my first year, I realized that I was not as prepared for a four-year university as I thought I was.

I struggled with keeping up with assignments, meeting deadlines, managing my time, and understanding the amount of work expected outside the classroom. Looking back, I realized that some of my high school experiences had not prepared me for that transition. Assignments were sometimes given extra time, and I was used to having more guidance throughout the learning process. College was different. Professors expected students to take more responsibility for their education, spend significant time studying outside of class, and keep up with the material without constantly being reminded.

This was a difficult realization for me because I had always considered myself a strong student. I had taken advanced classes, participated in robotics, and challenged myself academically. However, college showed me that being capable of understanding difficult material was only one part of succeeding. I also needed strong time-management skills, discipline, consistency, and the ability to work independently.

After struggling during my first year and the beginning of my sophomore year, I decided that I needed to step away from the four-year university and take a semester off. I did not see this decision as giving up on my education. Instead, I saw it as an opportunity to take a step back, understand what went wrong, and create a better plan for myself.

During my time away from school, I thought carefully about what I wanted to do with my future. I realized that I did not want to leave the STEM field. My interest in technology had been with me since childhood, and I still enjoyed computers, hardware, software, and coding. The more I thought about these interests, the more I became interested in cybersecurity.

That realization led me to Columbus State Community College, where I am currently continuing my education. I believe attending a community college gives me the opportunity to strengthen the academic and time-management skills I need while continuing to pursue a career in technology. My goal is to use these next two years to build a stronger foundation for my future. After completing my time at Columbus State, I plan to either enter the workforce in a cybersecurity-related position or continue my education toward a bachelor's degree.

My journey has not been a straight path, but every part of it has taught me something important. Growing up in Columbus and going through a school system with its challenges showed me how important access to quality education can be. Moving from the Gold Team to the Blue Team taught me that I needed to advocate for myself when I knew I could do more. Robotics introduced me to STEM and helped shape my career interests. College taught me that academic success requires more than intelligence; it also requires preparation, discipline, time management, and consistency.

I am still figuring out exactly where my career will take me, but I know that technology will continue to be an important part of my future. I started as a kid who enjoyed building things and playing with electronics, and now I am working toward turning those interests into a career. My circumstances have influenced my journey, but they do not determine where I will end up. I am still learning, still improving, and still working toward becoming the person I want to be.