Omarion Neal: Computer Science and Social Change
Omarion Neal is a sophomore, computer science major from Lexington, MS. He was recently accepted into the Advanced Computing for Social Change Program (ACSC), which is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Leadership-Class Computing Facility (LCCF). This week-long program offers unique opportunities for students to enhance their skills and create positive change in the community.
“In the future, I want to help provide better technology and courses to the [Holmes County] school system. We’re very behind. We don’t have a lot of stem-related classes to help develop the problem-solving skills needed for engineering-tracked careers.”
Omarion’s acceptance into the program was bridged by his involvement with TRiO Student Support Services, where his advisor emailed him about the application and encouraged him to apply. After researching the program and learning it fit into his major and his wants to give back to the community, he submitted an application.
“TRiO has taught me to take advantage of more opportunities, take risks, and be myself. When I first came to college, I compressed myself from people based on my personality. My mentor in TRiO got me plugged in with HCDC, and the advisors have good connections to people and opportunities outside of campus.”
Omarion is also a member of Men of Excellence (M.O.X.) which is an organization housed in the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center (HCDC). Additionally, he serves as the Health Committee Chair for the Residence Hall Association and on the Executive Board for the MSU Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.
“I enjoy holding leadership positions. Helping members and connecting them to different resources makes me feel like I’m really making an impact. I just like interacting with people.”
He plans to use his campus affiliations to help strengthen that impact and help build upon skills he has already acquired as a student.
“I will be working to refurbish my skills: learning how to better understand people, communication skills, networking skills, and creating a domino effect with my impact so that it reaches more people.”
Omarion is currently looking forward to earning a co-op or internship in the coming semesters. After graduation, he wants to work for a large company, then start his own business in software development or troubleshooting. After which, he hopes to have enough capital to fulfill his dreams of adding technology to the school system. In the immediate future, though, he will travel to Atlanta, GA in November to participate in the ACSC Program, where he will work collaboratively to learn more about data analysis and visualization, computational thinking, and social challenges.
“I view computer science like a digital art form. You can create anything you want from it, and the only limits you have are the ones you constrain yourself to.”
TRiO Student Support Services is housed under the Office of Access and Success. Both the Office of Access and Success and the Holmes Cultural Diversity Center are housed under the Division of Access, Opportunity and Success at Mississippi State University.