and serving the law school and university through various types of committee work. She counts cultivating the legal leaders of tomorrow as one of the most fulfilling parts of her work.
“ It is incredibly rewarding to hear from former students who are now lawyers about how something I taught them is helping them in their practice,” says Cyphert.“ I love that we are shaping the future of justice in this state.”
Cyphert’ s geographic location also offers a significant advantage for her work.
“ Morgantown is my hometown, and I genuinely love it here,” she says.“ We have the perfect balance: gorgeous natural beauty in our backyard and a strong sense of community along with all of the wonderful opportunities a large research university brings, including cultural events, scholars from around the world and a team to cheer on in every season.”
Cyphert credits West Virginia for helping make her oneof-a-kind career possible.
“ I received so much from this state growing up, including excellent schools and teachers,” she says.“ Giving back is part of how I was raised. It means a great deal to me to be an educator here and to help shape the future of justice in the state and beyond.”
She cites kindness, too, as a powerful influence on her professional advancement.
“ I was taught as a child that you lose nothing by choosing kindness when you can. I strive to treat people with respect and compassion, and I also try not to take myself too seriously,” says Cyphert.“ It is remarkable when I reflect on how many times my career has been helped by a chance encounter where I treated someone with kindness or respect and they remembered that interaction years later.”
Of all her professional achievements, including the 2021 Privacy Papers for Policymakers Award from the Future of Privacy Forum for her article on machine-learning algorithms and online surveillance, Cyphert regards her large and loving family as her greatest success.
“ I am so proud of how close all five of my siblings and parents and I are and also recognize how deeply blessed I am to have the support of my amazing husband and three incredible children,” she says.“ My family is the foundation for everything else I have been able to achieve.” •
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