USD Magazine Spring 2022

[ s e r e n d i p i t y ]

s a child, Maritza John- son ’05 (BA) must have been driven past the A Passion for people and technology becomes lifelong mission AN EXCI T ING TRAJECTORY science and, if you agree, I’ll be your advisor.’ From there, every- thing fell into place.” After finishing a PhD program at Columbia University, Johnson’s path led her to Google, Facebook, and then back to her undergradu- ate alma mater. In Fall 2017, by Allyson Meyer

the first time as a prospective student, Johnson stopped by the mathematics department to speak with a professor. “It felt so much like a colle- giate movie,” she says, remem- bering the warm atmosphere and the professor’s willingness to talk with her. Starting her undergraduate education at USD, Johnson enrolled in 17 units and was determined to pursue a mathe- matics degree. However, it was an introductory computer science course that first semes-

Johnson relocated to her home- town and began teaching in the USD Computer Science depart- ment. One class turned into three and Johnson was determined to be there for her students, just as she had been supported by her faculty mentors. “I always wanted to be a professor like my professors at USD were — warm, welcoming, supportive and there for you. And I told all of my students for all three of my classes, ‘I want to know all of you. I have office hours and I’m going to be

ter which piqued her interest. “I had a lab credit for Intro to Programming,” she recalls. “Seeing a programming lan- guage for the first time can be a totally foreign experience.” But Johnson is quick to admit that it didn’t all click right away. “I failed the midterm,” she says, laughing. “Then I took the final and my professor emailed me afterwards and said, ‘You got the highest grade on the final.’ She kind of took me by the shoulders and said, ‘I think you should major in computer

University of San Diego “a mil- lion times.” With her parents working at a car dealership off of Interstate Highway 8 in Mis- sion Valley, Johnson’s daily car trips took her right past the campus. When it came time for col- lege, Johnson — who was born and raised in San Diego — ap- plied to two schools: University of California, San Diego and USD. Coming to campus for

32

USD MAGAZINE