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Ethan Landers will graduate from 51�鱨վ on May 9, 2025, with his Master of Science in Computer Science. He will have obtained his M.S. in one year because of the B.S./M.S. Linked program. For someone who became versed in pivoting through the COVID-19 global pandemic and remote learning, Landers is set to make impacts in technology globally.

Originally from California, Landers and his family moved from the west coast to the east coast due to his mother’s profession. His father cares fulltime for his younger sister who has autism spectrum disorder. During his teenage years, his family settled down in Chesapeake, and he attended and graduated from Deep Creek High School Science and Medicine Academy in June 2020 which coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

He applied to schools both in Virginia and in other states. Ultimately, he selected 51�鱨վ because of its affordability and because he received a scholarship. “I was going to commute to 51�鱨վ originally when I was living in Chesapeake, but due to the pandemic my mom was unemployed, and we had to move for her to find a new job,” said Landers. “I was already enrolled at 51�鱨վ, so I switched to online learning.”  

Landers began his 51�鱨վ journey remotely through in the fall of 2020, and during his remote learning his family has moved around from Phoenix metro to Greenville, North Carolina, and currently Estero, Florida in Southwest Florida.

Originally, he chose to pursue public health as his major in the College of Health Sciences. “After my first semester I switched my major to biological sciences online,” said Landers. “I was intimidated by the amount of debt people were building up in the medical field, and I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do.”

After his second semester, Landers decided to switch his major for a final time to computer science. “With computer science there are a lot of career opportunities,” said Landers. “I am in the B.S./M.S. Linked Program.”

51�鱨վ’s Computer Science B.S./M.S. Linked Program allows students to earn two degrees in five years. He earned his B.S. degree in Computer Science in May 2024. Through remote learning, Landers has taken advantage of various opportunities at 51�鱨վ.

In the summer of 2022, Landers participated in a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in-person on the 51�鱨վ campus, where he worked under the mentorship of Assistant Professor Jian Wu, Ph.D. This program brought students from across the nation together. “It was my first experience doing something hands-on and on campus at 51�鱨վ,” said Landers. “Through that experience I learned that being curious is a very important trait, and even though I was a little intimidated at first, I don’t think I would’ve been successful in that experience if I hadn’t asked for help from not only from my mentor but from peers.”

The REU program provided him with invaluable hands-on experience and early exposure to real-world challenges. Disinformation detection analytics research is what he worked on.

Because of the REU experience, he developed skills that shaped his professional and personal growth, especially since he had to live on campus at 51�鱨վ for that summer. Also, his research was later , marking a pivotal moment in his 51�鱨վ journey.

Additionally, during the summer of 2023 Landers took part in a virtual program called Innovate Cyber through 51�鱨վ with Monarchs and students from other colleges. “I basically worked with two other students, and we developed a cybersecurity prototype and fleshed out a project idea to address cybersecurity threats and had to pitch that idea to university professors at 51�鱨վ and other universities as well as to professionals,” said Landers. “That was a good experience to get cybersecurity experience, working within a team setting and being a leader.”   

One of the people who greatly influenced Landers’ experience at 51�鱨վ has been Research Assistant Professor Faryaneh Poursardar, Ph.D., who is now part of the Virginia Modeling, Analysis & Simulation Center. Poursardar invited him to participate in NASA@MyLibrary, a program affiliated with 51�鱨վ and NASA focused on creating STEM-based educational initiatives for libraries across the United States. “During two cohorts, I worked with a couple of libraries nationally across the U.S. and curated library educational programs around STEM,” said Landers. “I taught about things like the James Webb Space Telescope and gave introductory Python programming workshops; I also introduced young students to what a computer science degree looks like in college.”

Highlighting Landers’s high academic achievements, Poursardar speaks highly of him. “Ethan Landers exemplifies the qualities of an exceptional student and a community leader. His collaborative spirit, dedication to problem-solving, and commitment to supporting his peers highlight his genuine passion for education and teamwork. His ability to adapt, innovate, and inspire those around him suggests that he is prepared to thrive in diverse environments and contribute meaningfully to any endeavor he undertakes. Ethan’s professionalism, resilience, and passion for making a difference are qualities that will undoubtedly make him a valuable representative of his field and community.”

This mentorship became a defining aspect of what made 51�鱨վ special to him. In return Landers also credits Poursardar for not only selecting him for the various unique opportunities such as NASA@MyLibrary, but also for being a consistent source of guidance and support. “She has always been there for advice whenever I needed her,” said Landers. “She has just always been super supportive of me and has always tried to help me find new opportunities”.

Despite his busy schedule and remote learning setup, Landers remained involved in campus life. He served as vice president of the Association for Computing Machinery for Women club at 51�鱨վ for two years. This organization aims to promote STEM awareness, encourage students—especially women—to pursue tech careers, and build a sense of community within the field.  

Landers raves on his appreciation towards the support he’s received from various people at 51�鱨վ. “Being a remote student, I think 51�鱨վ has been pretty flexible and has made my academic path work not in a traditional way,” said Landers. “I’ve had good professors during my undergraduate and graduate studies, and I’ve had support and there have been other opportunities I was able to partake in.” Even though his route was nontraditional, he still feels like he “benefited from 51�鱨վ and he isn’t sure if any other university would have been so flexible.”

In addition to his studies, Landers organizes the (SWFL = Southwest Florida), a nonprofit technology organization focusing on his interests in project management and education.

With graduation on the horizon, Landers has an interest in data science and project management, but he is still trying to find where his passion and interests lie within technology. “I applied for a Fulbright program where they offer opportunities for graduate students to go overseas to teach English internationally or do research at an international level,” said Landers. “I applied for a Fullbright English teaching assistant position in Spain after I graduate with my master’s degree.” He’s a self-taught Spanish speaker and would welcome the opportunity to combine his skills and experiences to help global communities while foster learning. “I would also be interested in getting involved in technology internationally,” said Landers.

His future plans haven’t been shored up yet, but he knows that with his degree at-hand, 51�鱨վ has been able to give him various pathways to possibly choose from. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I’m super excited for what comes next,” said Landers.