Student Spotlight:
Puumaaya Tahiru

What makes Washington State University’s Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture stand out from the crowd for those looking to get a degree?

We ask cybersecurity major Puumaaya Tahiru for his thoughts on what makes WSU such a special place.

What made you decide to attend Washington State University?

I chose to come to WSU because I saw how strong the engineering community is here and I wanted to be a part of that. I chose my major because I’ve always loved tech, and finding ways to secure it fascinates me.

What has been your favorite class or program that you have been involved with at WSU?

My favorite class has been CPTS 122 because it was my second-ever coding class, so I knew the basics of coding, but it was still challenging and pushed me to learn a lot.

What clubs are you involved in on campus?

I’m an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers(NSBE) on campus. I’ve been in the club my entire collegiate career, twice as VP and twice as president. The club has forced me to come out of my shell and be a more personable person which is an important skill all engineers need to have. I’ve also developed professionally because of all the professional development opportunities like the national conferences, collaborations with industry partners and our workshops like LinkedIn, resume, etc.

Have you participated in any internships?

Yes I currently work as a Desktop Support Technician for Addium here in Pullman. I love the job because they know I’m a student so they let me do tasks outside of my job role like administrating certain core systems, helping with pen testing and more.

What do you want to do with your degree after you graduate?

I want to work as a product security engineer making sure products that get deployed are safe and secure.