Oldest person to receive a computer science master’s from ASU graduates
Posted 7/12/24
In May, Michael Sneberger became the oldest person at 60 years old to earn a computer science master's degree from Arizona State University's Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering’s School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence.
You must be a member to read this story.
Join our family of readers for as little as $5 per month and support local, unbiased journalism.
Current print subscribers can create a free account by clicking here
Otherwise, follow the link below to join.
To Our Valued Readers –
Visitors to our website will be limited to five stories per month unless they opt to subscribe. The five stories do not include our exclusive content written by our journalists.
For $6.99, less than 20 cents a day, digital subscribers will receive unlimited access to YourValley.net, including exclusive content from our newsroom and access to our Daily Independent e-edition.
Our commitment to balanced, fair reporting and local coverage provides insight and perspective not found anywhere else.
Your financial commitment will help to preserve the kind of honest journalism produced by our reporters and editors. We trust you agree that independent journalism is an essential component of our democracy. Please click here to subscribe.
Need to set up your free e-Newspaper all-access account? click here.
Non-subscribers
Click here to see your options for becoming a subscriber.
Register to comment
Click here create a free account for posting comments.
Note that free accounts do not include access to premium content on this site.
I am anchor
University News
Oldest person to receive a computer science master’s from ASU graduates
Courtesy Michael Sneberger
Michael Sneberger is the oldest person to receive a master's degree in computer science from ASU.
Posted
In May, Michael Sneberger became the oldest person at 60 years old to earn a computer science master's degree from Arizona State University's Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering’s School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence.
As a successful data privacy lawyer, Sneberger wanted technical knowledge to add to his legal skillset, according to a press release. Beginning his pursuit of knowledge in 2016 at Scottsdale Community College, he eventually transferred to ASU.
Sneberger took advantage of ASU’s“deficiency pathway,” which allows students who already have a degree to take the core classes required, to gain a bachelor’s degree in computer science and later a master’s in computer science.
In the summer of 2019, he began the master’s program, tackling tasks like a 7,500-word paper on the intersection of science and the law that Sneberger had to continuously update especially after two Supreme Court decisions impacted his analysis.
“Ultimately, what was a class paper in ASU LAW 703 turned into a 10,000-word very significant article titled ‘Reconciling Competing Data Security Standards Applicable to Retail Banks Operating in California in light of Van Buren and TransUnion’ published in a global privacy law review in October 2021,” the release stated.
Sneberger’s classes continued, and in May, after 13 undergraduate and 10 graduate classes, he received his master’s degree.
Today, armed with newfound technology chops – including a deep understanding of artificial intelligence concepts – Sneberger aims to open up new opportunities for a data privacy attorney, as data privacy and protection – like everything else – becomes more technologically sophisticated with the advent of AI in every aspect of the law, according to the release.
Aside from his academic pursuit, Sneberger was a rock-n-roll photographer in his younger days, and his work was featured on American Idol.
He is a certified helicopter pilot, and while continuing to practice law in the area of data privacy and protection, is currently working on a facial recognition system for the fashion industry that will appear on social media, the release aded.
