Graduate combines engineering expertise with a passion for STEM advocacy

Talitha Sutton remembers her first days at RIT five years ago as overwhelming, marked by an intense culture shock that gradually eased with the encouragement and support of faculty member Holly Dickens.

Dickens, senior lecturer and undergraduate director of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology program, let her know the coursework was manageable and the first steps to making RIT more comfortable were to start building a community along with engineering skills.

“She said this can work. I can make it through this,” said Sutton. “I never forgot that.”

Now, Sutton is graduating with a degree in computer engineering technology from RIT’s College of Engineering Technology (CET). This fall, she’ll start a master’s degree program in urban data science at New York University, taking the next step of building a career where she helps others the way Dickens helped her.

Dickens introduced Sutton to organizations such as Women in Technology and the RIT chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.

“From the moment I met Talitha, two qualities stood out immediately—her compassion and her work ethic,” said Dickens. “Throughout her time at RIT, she has consistently challenged herself, demonstrating remarkable perseverance in the face of demanding coursework, meaningful community service, and volunteer commitments—all while balancing multiple jobs. Semester after semester, she rose to every challenge with determination and grace, and I could not be prouder of her accomplishments.”

Sutton eventually held leadership positions in both organizations. By her third year, she was a teaching assistant for courses—from circuits to digital design systems. She became part of the student operations staff at the SHED, helping others find classrooms or access the different makerspaces, and a technical intern at the RIT Battery Development Center’s lifecycle and performance testing site.

Dickens said Sutton, who was accepted to three graduate degree programs, has a genuine desire to make a lasting impact on future engineers.

While she was in high school, Sutton participated in Black Girls Who Code, which gave her a leg up when she started at RIT.  She wants to make sure programs like that are accessible to others.

After graduate school, Sutton wants to pursue a career in data engineering. Eventually, she would like to develop her own program, maybe modeled after Black Girls Who Code, that inspires young people and makes STEM more accessible.

“I want to help those that may need the kind of advice and encouragement I was given to keep building themselves upward,” she said.