Anum Hafiz: Young Leader Sets Her Sights on Cybersecurity Success

Anum Hafiz is set on making an impact. Throughout her time at UNC Charlotte’s College of Computing and Informatics, she’s constantly pushed herself to build her cybersecurity and leadership skills in tandem, hoping to one day make a mark on her field while leaving a legacy as a role model for women interested in technology and her Pakistani community.

In pursuit of her goals, Hafiz knows that understanding the bigger picture is key to the success she hopes to achieve.

“Whatever I do, I want to be proficient in all aspects of it,” Hafiz said. “I want to be over prepared for everything instead of underprepared, so I always know what I’m getting into.”

Now a major in computer science with a concentration in cybersecurity with a minor in security and intelligence studies, Hafiz is just days away from finishing her undergraduate education. She’ll be returning to campus next semester to complete her master’s degree in cybersecurity, thanks to CCI’s innovative “4 + 1” Early Entry program that allows students to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree in just five years.

Hafiz grew up in Cary, NC, the youngest of three daughters. She knew she was interested in science and technology fields broadly, but when applying for colleges she was unsure what specific path to pursue, initially applying to programs as a biology major. Attending UNC Charlotte seemed like a perfect fit for Hafiz due to the school’s reputation as a rising research powerhouse, her oldest sister’s testimony about her time as a Niner, the proximity to her family back in Cary and the draw of in-state tuition.

Before arriving in Charlotte, some summer soul searching helped Hafiz realize maybe biology wasn’t the right field for her. She started searching for a new path, honing in on computer science after her family encouraged her due to her natural knack for technology as well as hearing about her cousin’s great experience studying computer science at UNC Charlotte.

Armed with an interest in computers but without any CS classes under her belt, Hafiz felt a bit intimidated at the start of her undergraduate career. But she persisted, taking full advantage of her professors’ office hours and teaching assistant-led study sessions to help her catch up enough to feel confident she’d be able to excel in this new-to-her subject.

Wanting to squeeze all she could out of her time at UNC Charlotte, Hafiz was intrigued when she heard from a close friend and fellow Niner who was part of CCI’s 4+1 program. “It turned out my classes could count double for my bachelor’s and master’s. It’s just so convenient, not many other schools offer this sort of opportunity,” Hafiz said.

Based on her courses and conversations with friends, Hafiz was leaning toward the cybersecurity track in the Early Entry program. A “career trek” off campus sponsored by CCI’s Office of Professional Development introduced Hafiz to financial service giant TIAA where she got to see cybersecurity analysts at work, helping solidify her decision to steer toward that sector.

Hafiz’s first summer internship as a Niner was with TIAA on the business information security team, during which she grew her skills in vulnerability management, threat monitoring and security consulting among other skills.

“It gave me such a great understanding of the whole cybersecurity area, including how it works from a business perspective,” she said. “I feel like people don’t always take into account the business area of technology. So many people focus only on the engineering and the coding parts, but you have to also know why things are the way they are.”

As the years progressed, Hafiz kept working with an eye toward building her tech skills even further while also looking for opportunities to flesh out her understanding of the non-technical aspects of businesses and organizations. She earned her Amazon Web Services certification, and is now working toward learning more about AWS cloud security specifically, hoping to position herself to be able to tackle the new cybersecurity challenges that will arise for all organizations as cloud tech becomes more prevalent every day. 

An internship at Accenture in the summer of 2024 introduced her to the world of technology consulting, and she was thrilled to recently be accepted for yet another internship at Navy Federal Credit Union on their cybersecurity assurance and monitoring team. Each year at UNC Charlotte she eagerly awaits the CCI-led Cybersecurity Symposium and relishes the opportunity to connect with tech leaders and fellow young professionals making their way.

Outside the classroom, Hafiz has found plenty of opportunities to make an impact with organizations near and dear to her heart. In her sophomore year, she joined the Pakistani Student Association. After starting out as the social media manager, she’s now proud to be the group’s president. Hafiz has also been active in the Women in Cybersecurity group within CCI, rising from treasurer all the way to Vice President as of this year.

This past October, Hafiz was thrilled to represent UNC Charlotte at the annual Grace Hopper Celebration in Philadelphia. PA, the world’s largest annual gathering of women in technology. “It was such a great experience,” she said, reminiscing on the empowerment she felt being surrounded by fellow women pursuing similar dreams in a field historically dominated by men, and networking with fellow young technologists hoping to build a tech industry that looks more like the world at large.

Through it all, Hafiz is extremely grateful for all of the opportunities UNC Charlotte and the College of Computing and Informatics have afforded bright scholars like her over the years. “The most rewarding part of attending UNC Charlotte has been all of these resources that I know not everyone out there has easy access to. It feels like the professional and research resources are almost unlimited; I’m finding out new things that the University offers every single day.”

When she completes her master’s in cybersecurity, Hafiz hopes to continue working in the field, though she’s open to a number of options in terms of what that could look like. She chose her minor in security and intelligence studies to better understand the geopolitical ramifications of cyber defense with an eye toward a potential path toward government work, but she’s equally interested in further pursuing corporate security. Looking further into the future, she would love to one day helm a team of security professionals, combining her passion for tech and leadership.

No matter what she chooses, “I want my work to make an impact,” Hafiz said. “With cybersecurity, I feel like I can see my results immediately. Mitigating all these risks and vulnerabilities, it makes me feel so satisfied to be able to tame everyone’s worries.”