Nineteen-year-old Kasetta 'Kasey' Coleman grew up in Philadelphia's
inner city where teen pregnancy, drugs, and minimum wage jobs
were the norm. Kasey, however, wanted a different life. She
wanted a college education and a career that would provide
her with a good paying job and an opportunity to make a contribution
to the community in which she was raised.
 |
Kasetta
Coleman
Cisco Networking Academy Student |
Growing up with her parents and three siblings, her dream
was to become a cardiologist so that she could heal and help
people. Kasey attended Girls High School, considered to be
the best public high school in Philadelphia, where she knew
she would be prepared for colleges and universities of higher
education. She excelled at Girls High School, taking AP courses
in nearly every subject, playing the viola, studying dance,
and volunteering for a number of community programs. All the
while, her sights were set on medical school. In the spring
of her senior year, however, Kasey's options were broadened
with the opening of the Cisco Networking Academy at Girls
High School.
One of the first 20 students to enroll in the Cisco Networking
Academy at Girls High School, Kasey completed two courses
of the CCNA curriculum. Networking Academy classes required
a commitment above and beyond standard course work with classes
held from 7:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m., before the start of the
school day. But, it was well worth the effort for Kasey.
"The Networking Academy gave me a new and different
learning experience," says Kasey. "First, it encouraged
independent thinking. The focus is on learning rather than
cramming and regurgitating information. Second, I was actually
learning how the Internet works through a refreshing approach
to teaching that combined videos, Internet access, and Cisco
resources," continues Kasey. Kasey's involvement with
in the Networking Academy program culminated with her participation
on the Cisco team that configured and installed Internet access
for the Republican National Convention (RCN) in the summer
of 2000.
"My experiences with the Networking Academy and the
RCN opened my eyes to how engineering and computer technology
can impact people's lives. I thought the world of networking
was cool and that in the long run it would be helpful to my
academic career," recalls Kasey.
In the fall of 2000, Kasey enrolled as a freshman at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "I wouldn't have
considered going to an engineering school were it not for
the Networking Academy," says Kasey. She notes that,
"Men have dominated engineering and science for so long
that stereotypes have evolved that exclude women. So, women
lack the support of half of the population when it comes to
a career in engineering and technology. Women need good role
models in this field and the Networking Academy helped me
understand that as a woman, I could succeed in an engineering
environment."
While Kasey had considered majoring in computer science,
during her sophomore year she declared a major in chemical
engineering with a minor in biotechnology and a concentration
in Japanese. Her interests lie at the intersection of computer
science and nano and biotechnology in areas such as bioinformatics,
silicon biology and drug delivery. In addition to academic
study, Kasey is a researcher at Langer Labs where she works
on bioengineering projects that involve the development of
fluorescent markers for cancer detection and microchip drug
delivery. President of a dance company and treasurer of the
Black Students' Union, Kasey is also a member of the Society
of Women engineers, National Society of Black Engineers, Black
Woman's Alliance, and the Red Cross Disaster Action Team.
As part of MIT's Women's Initiative, she visits high schools
throughout the country meeting with high school students -
especially girls - to encourage them to enter science and
engineering fields. As Kasey provides a role model for other
young women, she credits her own role model with her success
and achievement. "My mother is my role model. Responsible,
dedicated, committed, a great friend, and a great parent."
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