Student Spotlight

Meet Malaya Canite, a cybersecurity major who has a background that is just as dynamic as her field. Growing up, she moved around often, which gave her a global perspective and adaptable mindset. These qualities shine in everything she does.

Malaya originally chose to study at BYU because of its supportive environment and strong values, but it was the opportunity to study in an emerging major that really drew her in. She wanted to seize her chance to develop with it! Cybersecurity is so vast, and there’s always something new to learn.

This growth mindset also helps Malaya feel included in the College of Engineering. She attributes her success to the professors and students she works closely with. Her conscious effort to include other women in the program ensures that everyone feels loved and included.

To students just starting out, Malaya said to “take everything as a learning moment. You can learn something from everyone: peers, professors, even the situations that don’t work out the way you expect.”

As an incoming freshman, Malaya applied to the BE Together Mentorship and was pleasantly surprised to be accepted. She began her research in her first year under Dr. Ben Schooley and Dr. Derek Hansen. “This opportunity allowed me to engage in cybersecurity-related work as a freshman, become more familiar with my professors, co-author my first papers, and led to additional research opportunities,” Malaya said. She highly encourages others to participate in the program because it has played a foundational role in her educational and professional success.

In her free time, Malaya plays video games with her friends. She also enjoys taking the bus to the Provo City Center temple gardens. Her go-to spot on campus is the Crabtree Building. “All of the cyber classes are there, so it feels like home,” she said with a smile. Her favorite class so far has been Adversarial & Cyber Mindset, a course that delves deep into an attacker’s perspective to teach students how to protect systems better.

Malaya’s approach to engineering is a reminder that being curious, open, and community-minded can make all the difference in both the college experience and the field of cybersecurity.