Renee Reynolds is a 2000 graduate of Hampton University’s Department of Computer Science.

She chose Hampton after receiving scholarships from the Naval Reserve Training Officer Corps (NROTC) and the Hampton University Presidential Honors.

The NROTC Scholarship Program plays an important role in preparing young men and women for leadership and management positions in an increasingly technical  Navy and Marine Corps.

The Hampton University Presidential Honors is designed for students who receive academic scholarships (Trustee, Presidential, Hampton, or Merit) as entering freshmen or transfer students.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in computer science at Hampton, Renee joined the Navy’s surface warfare community as an Ensign in the United States Navy. She was the first female officer assigned to the USS Nashville as a qualified surface warfare officer.

In 2005, she transferred to the US Navy Reserve, which helps you continue your civilian life while embarking on an exciting career in the Navy.

While working for several government contractors, Reynolds helped develop technical and engineering solutions for the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Navy.

During this time Reynolds earned a master’s in engineering management from Old Dominion University in 2008.

She entered the federal civil service in 2012 at the Naval Sea Systems Command and now works as an engineer in the Surface Ship Readiness Program’s technical group.

She is also pursuing her Ph.D. in Business Management from Capella University. Reynolds is active in advocacy efforts for veterans transitioning to civilian life and participates in mentoring activities to expose young girls to career options in engineering fields.

What Computer and Information Research Scientists Do

Computer and information research scientists solve complex problems in computing. They invent and design new approaches to computing technology and find innovative uses for existing technology. They study  problems in computing for business, medicine, science, and other fields.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for computer and information research scientists was $111,840 in May 2016.

How to Become a Computer and Information Research Scientist

Most jobs for computer and information research scientists require a Ph.D. in computer science or a related field. In the federal government, a bachelor’s degree may be sufficient for some jobs.

Job Outlook

Employment of computer and information research scientists is projected to grow 11 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average for all occupations. Computer scientists are likely to enjoy excellent job prospects, because many companies report difficulties finding these highly skilled workers.

Hampton University’s Department of Computer Science will prepare you for both graduate school and positions in industry or government. They are a Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education as well as a funded Master of Science in Information Assurance Program

Most of Hampton University’s Computer Science/Computer Information Science students take advantage of  available summer internships (both industry and research, which provide opportunities for graduate school and industry positions before graduation.

The Department has a freshmen mentoring program, peer-tutoring program, and one on one curriculum advisement to ensure successful matriculation at Hampton University.

In addition the Department of Computer Science has a 98% placement rate (full-time employment and/or graduate school acceptance for graduating seniors.

Students who graduate with a degree in CSC are highly qualified in:

Programming languages
Operating systems
Scientific programming
Web-based programming
Software engineering

Graduating CIS students are highly qualified in:

Business management
Project Management
Systems analysis
Web page design
Database systems
Information analysis

Like Thomas Friedman said, many jobs  require math, computing, and coding skills, so if your good grades truly reflect skills in those areas that you can apply, it would be an advantage. But (employers) have their eyes on much more.