Lilian Sing'oei, a graduate student in cybersecurity at Grand Valley State University, brings a global perspective shaped by academic and professional experiences across Kenya, China, Germany and the United States. She believes technology should not only secure systems but also empower the people who depend on them.

Before choosing Grand Valley, Lilian considered other universities in the United States, but GVSU stood out because of the structure and academic rigor of its cybersecurity program and the opportunities to become involved on campus.

Her interest in cybersecurity grew through years of working with technology and seeing the increasing need to protect digital systems. While teaching Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and computer science at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and the University of Eldoret in Kenya, she saw cybersecurity threats continue to evolve. Living in Germany, where she saw a strong emphasis on cybersecurity, further strengthened her interest in the field.

Lilian came to GVSU with a strong academic foundation, including a Master’s degree in Computer Science and Technology from Central South University in China. Her studies included artificial intelligence, data mining, software engineering, databases, algorithms and network technology. At GVSU, she is building on that experience through cybersecurity coursework and interests in cloud security and trustworthy AI.

Beyond the classroom, Lilian is involved with WiCyS She Secures, the GVSU Computing Club and International Anchor Allies, where she mentors and advises international students. She has also worked as a Camps & Conference Assistant. Having studied in different academic systems herself, she says those experiences taught her resilience and the importance of asking for help early, lessons that now shape how she supports other international students.

This semester, Lilian is looking forward to courses including Trustworthy AI, Linux and Python Scripting for Cybersecurity, and Cyber Security Risk Management. As an AIU Student Specialist with the Mid Michigan SBDC, she also supports a GEM Governance Handbook addressing areas such as data privacy and vetting processes and contributes to testing protocols for evaluating AI-generated outputs for bias, tone and accuracy.

Lilian's commitment to technology and community impact began before GVSU. As a Microsoft Research Africa Fellow, Lilian contributed to AI and cybersecurity research. She has also led ICT skilling initiatives supported by a $123,000 DCA grant and published research in facial expression recognition and data mining.

Mentorship has also played an important role in her journey. Lilian credits Prof. Samar Mansour and Afua Asantewaa Asante, a GVSU cybersecurity graduate and Ph.D. research assistant at the University of North Texas, as important influences in her academic and professional development.
Looking ahead, Lilian hopes to build a career at the intersection of cybersecurity, data privacy and AI, with interests in cloud security, trustworthy AI and protecting digital infrastructure. She hopes to combine her experience in humanitarian data, teaching and cybersecurity to make secure and ethical technology more accessible to underserved communities and strengthen cybersecurity within health infrastructure.

She also wants to continue mentoring young women and girls in STEM and cybersecurity, using the opportunities she receives to help open doors for others.