It started with a T-shirt.
Temitayo “Temi” Alli, a Master of Computer Science alumnus, was walking through his apartment complex when he noticed a neighbor wearing a Tesla shirt. Taking a leap of faith, he stopped and struck up a conversation. That neighbor just happened to work in the exact field Temi dreamed of: IT manufacturing support. One question led to another. They talked. They connected. Temi shared his resume. The neighbor passed it along to his hiring manager.
Today, Temi works at Tesla as an IT Manufacturing Support Technician.
“I didn’t approach my neighbor because I wanted something,” Temi says. “I just spoke to him sincerely in the way I’d want to be spoken to. I learned about his goals and shared mine. Everything else followed naturally.”
That moment wasn’t luck but preparation meeting opportunity, with Temi’s signature humility and curiosity leading the way.
Originally from Ghana, Temi came to San Francisco Bay University for his Master’s in Computer Science after hearing about the school through a friend of his sister. Temi was drawn to SFBU’s intimate class sizes, which allows students like himself to connect one-on-one with professors, ask questions, and build strong relationships. “Some people want a big school,” he said. “But I wanted a place where I could really talk to my professors and absorb more.”
Before coming to SFBU, Temi worked as an IT Infrastructure Officer for Prudential Life Insurance in Ghana where he completed his undergraduate degree. From there, he set his sights on having a career in Silicon Valley, the world’s most influential tech hub.
Temi did more than attend classes. On campus, he became a student assistant and later worked in the Office of the Chief Operating Officer, where he helped build SFBU’s first alumni database so graduates could connect with current students. As an executive leader in the Soccer Club, Temi also helped build community outside the classroom, finding balance and friendships through sport.
When Temi became interested in cybersecurity and networking, he directly spoke with Assistant Provost Thawi Iwagoshi, PhD., about adding new classes to meet evolving student interests. His suggestions were heard and new courses were added – something Temi believes is only possible in a university as student-centered and tight-knit as SFBU. “My voice mattered,” Temi remembered. “And Dr. Thawi always followed up. That kind of support makes a difference.”
For his capstone, Temi worked with two classmates, Kiran Kumar Golla and Md Rokibul Hasan, to tackle an ambitious project: building an AI-driven network traffic analysis and anomaly detection system. They worked in real time to identify potential network intrusions and recommended proactive security measures — skills that directly aligned with the role Temi would later secure at Tesla.
When asked what advice he would give to students hoping to follow in his footsteps, Temi doesn’t hesitate: “Familiarize yourself with your curriculum. Define your purpose. Speak with your professors and learn from them. And read. Pick up articles. Stay on top of trends in Silicon Valley.”
He credits SFBU’s curriculum and Professor Michael Leinhos’ Career Development course as being especially impactful in preparing him for the U.S. job market. “That course helped me understand how hiring works here, and how to analyze where things are going.”
Outside of tech, Temi finds joy in soccer, cooking, and video games. Looking ahead, he hopes to pursue a Ph.D. in telecommunications or networking — after first building financial stability and gaining more experience in the field.
For now, he’s content to keep learning, connecting, and building.
“The more involved you are,” Temi says, “the more open you are to knowledge.”
And sometimes, all it takes is noticing a T-shirt and being bold enough to ask a question.
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