OSU IT Student Spotlight: Angela Vang

  Story by Kallyn Zaner

Meet Angela Vang, one of the many friendly and supportive faces behind the Oregon State University Service Desk. As a Service Desk Technician, Angela plays a vital role as first line of support for students, faculty, and staff who require technical assistance.  

Angela's days are filled with excitement and variety, and no two days are ever alike. Whether it is greeting customers at the welcome desk or answering phone calls in the tech support center, she is constantly problem solving. Her day-to-day activities include assisting walk-in visitors, providing remote technical support, configuring different operating systems, updating and installing software, and ensuring all devices are properly set up. Angela also heavily contributes to updating documentation, specifically regarding Public Safety tickets.   

Angela's path to IT and the Service Desk was not by way of a traditional route. “I actually have a bachelor’s degree in biology and was working in emergency medicine,” Angela shared. “I was set on going into the medical field, but I decided to make a career change and started taking community college classes in Information Systems.” Angela is currently completing her double major remotely in Computer Information Systems and Network Engineering and Cybersecurity. The Service Desk was an experiential opportunity to gain some foundational experience in tech support. “The Service Desk touches almost every department and type of ticket, so it’s an incredible learning experience,” she said. 

In just a few months of being at the Service Desk, Angela has significantly improved her time management and multitasking abilities, successfully managing the hectic front desk while still focusing on ongoing projects. She says that she has also recognized a major development of user empathy, training herself to view problems from the customer’s perspective. This shift has helped her better anticipate user needs, analyze the source of the problem, and create solutions that feel human centered, By putting herself in the customer shoes, she has been able to close the gap between technical solutions and real world problems, ensuring that all decisions and strategies utilized are in the best interest of the individuals using these products. “We help people with all levels of technical experience,” Angela explained. “Understanding where they’re coming from helps us provide better service.” 

Angela said that her key accomplishments during her time at the Service Desk has been developing Tier 0 self-service posters, as well as contributing to the creation of a Welcome Desk booklet. These guides enable users to quickly solve common issues related to ONID, DUO, and Wi-Fi, while freeing up the Service Desk to focus on more complex and time-intensive issues.  

Angela sees this position as an essential opportunity to grow and develop for her future career in IT. “This role is so foundational — you get to see a bit of everything, which helps you figure out what really sparks your interest in technology.” Angela’s story illustrates how embracing varied experiences can shape unexpected and inspiring career directions.  Her tenacity, adaptability, and willingness to learn make her a valued member of the Service Desk team.