While introducing Notashia Thomas as the recipient of the 2022 Dr. Eugene DeLoatch Legacy Award,  emcee and engineering professor McCauley explained the significance of an award named after a legendary educator who was the first Black engineer to lead the American Society for Engineering Education.

Notashia began her career at CACI in 2006 as a software tester, and it wasn’t long before she emerged as a leader. Currently, she is a product manager for the HighView technology group program. Through her leadership, her systems engineering team drives innovation and delivers significant results.

In addition, she volunteers with science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) organizations, including Black Girls Code. She is focused on building pathways for young people of color to become tech leaders.

“I was raised in a single-parent household, by my mother who has a strong work ethic,” Notahsia said, giving a nod to her mom who was in the audience. “She was determined to see her two daughters succeed. In my senior year of high school, my computer teacher encouraged me to pursue a degree in computer science but I was apprehensive.”

With support from her teacher and her family, Notashia gained confidence in her ability to improve her failing grades in advanced calculus and went on to ace every mathematics class in her computer science course during college. Fast forward, she finds great joy in inspiring and motivating a new generation to pursue STEM degrees.