Quintarius Adamson
Junior Quintarius Adamson is busy leveraging the professional connections and opportunities that abound on Georgia State’s Atlanta Campus, but he’s never forgotten his rural roots in south Georgia. He shares with us his plans to become an ethical hacker, using his skills to make a difference in his hometown and beyond.
Interview by Torie Robinette Durham
Tell us about your move from a small, rural town on the Georgia-Florida border to Atlanta.
I used to come to Atlanta to participate in business competitions through DECA [an association of high school marketing students]. I participated in marketing, communications, hospitality and tourism business planning and competitions. I didn’t realize how close I was to my future university. While touring the downtown Atlanta Campus, I saw a lot of opportunities. I saw the CNN Center was near here, and so were Google and a lot of other great companies for technology. I knew that this was somewhere that I wanted to be — a place where I could pursue my passions and curate the vision and future that I wanted for myself.
You’re a staunch opponent of cybercrime. How has being at Georgia State uniquely positioned you to make a career of fighting it?
The coronavirus pandemic really increased cybercrime. It’s a huge issue that we are facing as a nation and world. There’s a plethora of different things that are stored online, and we need people [ethical hackers, who identify and resolve cybersecurity vulnerabilities] to protect that information. I knew, coming to Atlanta, that there are a lot of tech firms, hospitals, businesses and schools that need that protection.
I also knew that Georgia State could give me the education I need to be able to help others. I knew that I would be able to find internship opportunities, meet like-minded individuals and even meet industry professionals who are where I want to be.
You’re part of Georgia State’s first-ever StartupGSU cohort, a student-managed venture capital fund. What’s your business?
My company, Haqq Technologies, is a consumer electronic repair business. I fix phones, tablets and laptops for people, and I also build personal computers for gamers and musicians. The name comes from my first name and the fact that I’m into ethical hacking. I replaced the C and K in “Hack” with Qs. It stands for “Healthy assurance, quality and care.” I want to give clients the best product and the best service, fixing their devices or helping with other issues.
Do you think Haqq would exist if you hadn’t come to Georgia State?
No, I don’t think so. I knew that I would start a business, but I don’t think it would have been a repair business. I think that Georgia State gave me the ideas and the foundation to start this business.
You looked into a lot of different universities. What gave Georgia State the edge?
There was simply no place like Georgia State, an illustrious university that prides itself on innovation and student success, with a top-rated computer science program. What’s not to like? Not to mention its location in the heart of metro Atlanta. While touring the downtown campus, all I could see was potential, and it lit a fire in me.
I’ll always be a country boy from the Okefenokee Swamp, but now I can be someone who has an impact on the world. With my degree from Georgia State, I plan to start a cybersecurity firm that prioritizes small business and lower-level corporations.
