Morgan wins cybersecurity award
RUSSELLVILLE Russellville High School graduate Sarah Morgan recently received the Departmentof Computer Science Outstanding Cybersecurity Undergraduate Award from Troy University.
The award is given each year to a senior who excels in computer science and cybersecurity coursework who is a role model for other students in the department.
“It’s really an honor to get this award,” Morgan said.
At Troy, Morgan is majoring in cybersecurity and minoring in leadership development and digital forensics.
Her plans for the future include finishing her undergraduate degree a year early and using the fourth year to work on a master’s degree in data analytics.
For Morgan, cybersecurity is not only something she’s pursuing as a career, but also something she’s passionate about excelling in.
“I like how this can be applied to any kind of sector,” Morgan said. “My dad’s a chiropractor, so I think it would be cool to secure health care systems, that kind of thing.”
Another area of possible workforce application that has Morgan’s interest is working with the FBI, something she said would pair well with her digital forensics minor.
“I’m not sure which path I want to go down, but I’m excited to see, and I know the Lord’s going to lead me where I need to be,” she added.
Morgan said she ultimately hopes to have a leadership role, noting she’s “a really big people person.”
What led her to discovering an interest in cybersecurity was an advanced placement computer science course she took at RHS during her junior year.
“There’s a big need for cybersecurity, and there always will be, especially with the rise of artificial intelligence,” Morgan said. “There’s always going to be a need to protect systems from that kind of thing.”
At RHS, Morgan’s distinctions included being crowned Miss RHS and being named the Distinguished Young Woman for Franklin County. She was the valedictorian and president of the National Honor Society and the Key Club. She also served as the varsity cheer captain.
Morgan lived in Muscle Shoals while attending RHS.
“Russellville was the perfect place for me to go to high school,” Morgan said. “I’m thriving in Troy, but Russellville is the town that raised me. I’m very grateful for all the people there that helped me get to this point, and I really credit them with a lot of my success.”
Morgan’s varsity cheer coach, Stephanie Mayfield, is among those she credits with leading to her success.
“She always encouraged me to aim high, and she sometimes had confidence in me that I didn’t even have,” Morgan explained. “And she still is always uplifting me to this day.”
