Leslie Mollica resumed her education after an 11-year hiatus, embraced opportunities in the computer science program, and will graduate Aug. 10 after securing a full-time job at Southern.
Written by: Chris McCauley
Media Contact: Tehreem Khan
Leslie Mollica resumed her education after an 11-year hiatus, embraced opportunities in the computer science program, and will graduate Aug. 10 after securing a full-time job at Southern.After a daunting 11-year gap, Leslie Mollica fearlessly resumed her educational journey as an undergraduate student at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Throughout her time as a self-described “unconventional student” in the College of Arts and Sciences’ Department of Computer Science, she embraced opportunities as they arose and always remained open to possibilities. Now Mollica is set to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in computer science with a minor in business during the summer commencement on Saturday, August 10.
“It’s never too late to start something new,” said Mollica. “When you say yes, opportunities open up that you couldn’t even imagine in your wildest dreams.”
She chose UAB because it was located close to her home in downtown Birmingham. She signed up for a set of core courses and decided to wait before declaring a major. “I wasn’t sure about the direction I was going,” Mollica said.
Even though her degree was unclear, she still leaned into the experience and made it through her first year at UAB. During the same year, she met her husband and decided to start a family, resulting in a brief hiatus from her college career.
During her time off from university, Mollica and her husband traveled, started a life together and had two children. It was a joyful time; but after a few years, she and her husband decided that, in order to achieve their long-term goals, they both needed to go back to college.
“I decided to go to Jefferson State Community College and went into nutrition for a while,” Mollica said.
However, it wasn’t the food that drew her interest to Jeff State. Instead, it was an online design class she took as an elective.
“I fell in love with it — it was so much fun,” Mollica said. “The professor I had was so supportive and encouraging and told me I would be really good at computer science.”
Mollica accepted his recommendation and began researching nearby computer science programs. Coincidentally, she found herself back at the university where it all began – UAB. Along with its academic offerings, UAB also fulfilled several practical considerations for him.
“I lived north of the city, and UAB was close to my kids’ school, it was close to my husband’s work, and it had been a school I had already attended,” Mollica said.
Her second experience at UAB was very different from her first because she enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic and had to attend her first classes remotely. Thankfully, as the pandemic began to fade, Mollica found herself back in the classroom with her new classmates, and in no time a community began to form.
“The students I enrolled with were supportive, friendly and outgoing,” Mollica said.
In addition to welcoming students, Mollica found the faculty members and their respective courses to be engaging and helpful. She especially enjoyed the courses with Mahmut Unan, Ph.D.; Ragib Hasan, Ph.D.; and Amber Wagner, Dr.
“The way Dr. Wagner focuses on projects first is something I would like to see more of,” she said. “What it’s about is being able to use these technical skills in real life.”
Mollica worked closely with Associate Professor John Johnstone, Ph.D., as a teaching assistant. To recognize her diligence, he nominated her for the 2024 Honors Convocation Award, the most prestigious award she has ever received.
This transformative experience honed Mollica’s leadership skills and boosted her confidence to pursue another opportunity at UAB. She secured an internship with Southern Company for the spring 2024 semester, setting the stage for her future career.
“In the fall of 2023, I attended the Computer Science and Engineering Career Fair. I talked to various cabins, including Southern, and connected with their awesome recruiter. I got an interview and within a week they offered me an internship with them for the spring semester,” Mollica said.
She started as a part-time intern in the spring of 2024 and transitioned to a full-time intern in the summer. Her excellence and skills were evident during the internship, so Southern Company paid her tuition for her last two semesters.
Mollica demonstrated professionalism and practical knowledge of the field, helping her secure a full-time job as an information technology support analyst for Southern Power and PowerSecure Technology Solutions. She will begin her work in the fall.
For Mollica, her success illustrates the importance of moving forward, trying new things and saying “yes” to opportunities.
“Never give up,” said Mollica. “Age does not matter. Go for it. All you need is faith and determination.”