Computer Science Student Has all the Right Tools to Succeed

Britney Bogard is the University of Cincinnati College of Engineering and Applied Science Engineer of the Month for November. Britney is a junior maintaining a 3.795 GPA in her fourth year in the computer science program while working toward an entrepreneurship minor with the Carl H. Lindner College of Business and dual degrees of bachelor's of computer science and master's of science in the ACCEND program.

It was the combination of the ACCEND program, multiple scholarship offers and the potential to participate in co-op work that cemented Britney’s decision to attend UC. “I couldn't pass up the professional opportunities that the ACCEND program brought,” she said.  “As far as my perspective in the long run, I love that I can do it now and in such a short amount of time.”

She credits the program for the doors it has opened up for her. “My offers for co-op positions tend to be better offers, considering that I'll be graduating with a master's degree.”

While at Cisco, Britney worked on a utility to integrate annotation into current client tools. “I was on a research and development team in business collaborations,” she explains. “I was working on Reference Design of a UC Endpoint that integrates video with visual communications.”

Outside of co-op work, Britney is involved in numerous activities. These include the Grace Hoppper Women in Computing Conference, which is a networking seminar that brings together students, professionals and mentors with computing backgrounds, an activity called a “Hack-a-thon,” where Britney works in a community with others to contribute to open source coding projects, and volunteering at the Cincinnati Computer Cooperative.

“The cooperative takes in old computers and they recycle or refurbish them for underprivileged families and sell the computers at a lower price,” she explains.  Once the Cincinnati Computer Cooperative sells the refurbished computer to a family, they then set them up with internet access and teach the family how to use the computer. “I basically help by pulling hard drives or taking the computer apart, cleaning and testing monitors and testing computers.”
 

When Britney’s not busy pulling computers apart she likes to spin fire and belly dance. “It's interesting, sometimes I wonder whether or not I should tell people but usually it's really well received.” Britney is in a performance arts troupe called Dante's Gypsy Circus, of which she attends weekly meetings and performances. “I just make sure it's a priority and it doesn't get lost on my list,” she said. 

When asked how she manages to hold it all together when juggling coursework and community involvement along with extracurricular activities, she responds “I really wouldn't be where I am without support from my family in Akron and my friends here in Cincinnati,” she said.  “And I also just try to make sure that the things that I would like to do are the things that keep me emotionally-well.”

On top of everything else that Britney is undertaking, she’s also searching for what she hopes to be her last co-op position. “I’m hoping to find one for next summer – that will be a determining factor for my plans after graduation,” she said. “I’d really like to find a home in that company.”