Spotlight on Scholarship Winner Rhonoya Anderson

At Pond Lehocky Giordano, we are proud to continue our 25 Days of Scholarships campaign by celebrating a student whose story is both powerful and deeply inspiring. Today, we honor Rhonoya Anderson – a first-generation college student from Port Antonio, Jamaica, now pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science at Talladega College, Class of 2028.

Rhonoya’s journey to a career in tech has been shaped by both resilience and vision. Growing up in Jamaica, she saw firsthand the talent and potential in her community, but also the lack of access to technology and mentorship that could have helped nurture it. While the digital world felt just out of reach, Rhonoya’s curiosity never wavered. She dreamed of understanding how things worked and using that knowledge to build something greater – something that could make a difference for others.

Today, Rhonoya is bringing that dream to life through her studies in computer science. She sees technology not just as a tool, but as a language for solving real-world problems and creating new opportunities. Her ultimate goal? To create access. She envisions a future where young girls, underrepresented students, and entire communities can engage with tech, learn, grow, and feel like they truly belong in the field.

That drive has already fueled meaningful work on and off campus. Rhonoya is actively involved in student-led organizations such as Girls Who Code, Color Stack, and the Women in Cyber Security Club. She also serves as a peer support ambassador and is currently a Breakthrough Birmingham Science Teaching Fellow, helping younger students fall in love with STEM. These roles reflect not only her passion for learning, but her commitment to lifting others as she climbs.

For Rhonoya, this $1,000 scholarship will help ease the financial demands of higher education – but more importantly, it affirms her belief that her story, her background, and her goals matter. As she put it in her video, “This scholarship is more than financial support – it is a reminder that someone believes in me and the future I’m working toward.”

Rhonoya’s values – empowerment, access, and community uplift – echo the core principles of our firm and this scholarship program. Her story is a vivid example of how determination, when combined with opportunity, can spark transformative change.