IST student embraces personal challenges to define her college experience

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — RaeNeice Dunbar, a rising fourth-year student in the Penn State College of Information Sciences and Technology (IST), has not let personal challenges get in the way of her academic journey. Majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations, she is taking advantage of opportunities at University Park and around the world to create a future that works with her unique circumstances.  

“I’m the youngest of nine children and a first-generation college student — born in Trinidad and Tobago but raised in Texas,” Dunbar said. “I knew nothing about Penn State until a friend I was visiting in Ivory Coast, West Africa, encouraged me to enroll in the College of IST.” 

As she thought about majors and careers, Dunbar said, she looked for something she could pursue regardless of her location and health status. She has a rare blood disorder known as hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and has also been diagnosed with juvenile arthritis and lupus.  

“I was actually a Make-A-Wish kid when I was 14 and my conditions were a lot worse,” she said. “The treatment was a handful of chemotherapy rounds, so entering high school bald was definitely a character-building moment.” 

It was “a pretty rough time” for Dunbar, she said, as she had to learn to walk again and adapt to her new, weaker body.  

“A month prior to my HLH treatment, I was diagnosed with a form of juvenile arthritis, and it all led to mass organ failure and a wild college application essay,” she said. “Post-treatment, I was softly diagnosed with lupus, which manifests in really awful rashes.” 

Dunbar still receives treatment for her arthritis but is in remission for her HLH. Her chronic illness was a factor in her decision to major in cybersecurity analytics and operations, with a focus on geopolitics, in the College of IST, she said.

“I wanted a career that was accessible,” she said. “If worse came to worst, I wanted good health insurance and a career that, if necessary, I could pursue from a hospital bed.” 

Once enrolled as an IST student, Dunbar quickly immersed herself in the student resources and engagement opportunities offered by the college.  

“RaeNeice is the ultimate example of ‘Apply and see what happens,’” said Kristina Romaine, assistant director of IST’s undergraduate academic advising team. “She’s found so many unique experiences, applied to them and been chosen for many.” 

Among those experiences was interning as an IST learning design specialist. 

“This role was really exciting for me,” Dunbar said. “I collaborated with the learning design team on accessibility and legal compliance efforts, working alongside other student interns to edit IST courses for Penn State World Campus to ensure equal access for all College of IST students.”   

Dunbar serves as an IST Diplomat, representing and promoting the college while developing her own leadership, communication and networking skills. She’s a learning assistant for several cyber classes, coaching and mentoring students while supporting IST instructors with teaching-related tasks.  

Beyond Penn State, Dunbar is a member of Access Computing, a virtual club out of the University of Washington that’s centered around making tech spaces accessible, particularly from a neurodivergent and physical disability standpoint.  

“Although right now I’m highly functioning with regard to my disabilities, there are times when I am not, so I really wanted to be involved with a group where I could be open and ask questions about what accommodations I may need when entering the workforce,” she said. “Furthermore, I’m sure I have biases that I’m unaware of and wanted to be introduced to different individuals who have different lifestyles so I can learn how to accommodate for others and address issues that may impede on their quality of life.” 

And as an IST student, Dunbar has traveled. 

She spent the spring 2024 semester in a study abroad program at Lincoln University in New Zealand, where she took classes like environmental analysis with a geospatial information systems (GIS) software. 

“We were granted access to data from New Zealand’s Department of Conservation and worked on some exciting projects,” Dunbar said. “For instance, we identified the optimal habitats for kiwis and emphasized hiking paths that weren’t safe. We set out on daily adventures to explore the South Island, and I tried bouldering for the first time!” 

In fall 2024, Dunbar attended the Tapia Conference on Diversity in Computing in San Diego, where she had the opportunity to connect with others with common backgrounds, ethnicities, disabilities and gender. She also attended the AfroTech Conference in Houston, which featured WILL.I.AM and Colin Kaepernick as presenters.  

Last spring, she completed a 10-day expedition across the North Pacific as a research student with the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Student Experiences Aboard Ships (STEMSEAS) program, where she learned about cyberinfrastructure at sea. 

“The expedition took me from Hawaii to Alaska,” she said. “I learned a lot from the crew, scientists and fellow research students.”  

She’s currently completing a summer experience as an information technology security intern with Boardwalk Pipelines in Houston.  

Additionally, she’s pursuing a research opportunity with the Penn State College of Engineering involving cybersecurity education in nuclear cities. Her team will present at the Nuclear Engineering Conference in Washington, D.C., in August.  

“RaeNeice has taken advantage of every opportunity — academic, professional and beyond — and turned each one into something meaningful,” said Tyler Estright, student engagement coordinator for the College of IST. “She’s always curious, and her passion is contagious. Not only is she an incredible student and genuine advocate for the College of IST, but she also inspires and makes everyone around her better.” 

Dunbar’s journey isn’t over yet. She will submit a research abstract with STEMSEAS and said she hopes to present at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union Advancing Earth and Space Science in New Orleans in December. 

“RaeNeice is kind, ambitious, passionate and will be a shining star as she paves her way in her incredible journey,” said Madhavi Kari, IST's diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging specialist, student success. “I am so proud of her and incredibly excited to see all the things she will accomplish!”