Coming to the United States provided Farah Babu an opportunity to further her education and build a career in the tech industry, but it was the University of Missouri–St. Louis that gave this promising student from India a sense of community and the courage to grow into a leader at UMSL and in her profession.
Born and raised in India, she completed a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science before immigrating. At UMSL, Farah earned her master's degree in Cybersecurity while also working as a Graduate Teaching Assistant, where she guided students with their projects and assignments in a variety of courses.
“I would call UMSL my safe space, a place where I was encouraged to think outside the box, where I was supported for my novel ideas and where I was always offered help,” she said. “I had the most amazing professors who made my journey priceless, especially Dr. Sanjiv Bhatia, Dr. Lav Gupta and Dr. Sharlee Climer.”
As she progressed academically, Farah honed her leadership skills serving as the Cultural Secretary and then President of the Student Council and served as an active member of Alpha Phi Omega, a leading national service fraternity. Farah's rise from a computer science undergraduate to a specialized cybersecurity expert and her current role as system engineer at Mastercard demonstrate her commitment to continuous learning and growth. With a journey as impressive as hers, Farah continues to inspire and set new standards in her field.
