I started my collegiate career at Montgomery College (MC). After a semester of testing the waters of different majors, cybersecurity clicked with me. From there my thirst for knowledge began, I started reading books in parallel to my course work to gain an even better knowledge on the subject. I wanted to transfer to a school that offered the best cybersecurity program, and after doing some research I decided on the University of Maryland University College (UMUC). I had heard great things about the Universities at Shady Grove (USG) and was thrilled to learn UMUC offered my program there.
I chose UMUC at USG for these reasons:
- It was close enough to home that it would not be a hassle to drive back and forth.
- The money I was saving by living at home allowed me to pay for school and have no debt.
- Saving time and money from commuting, I am also able to maintain all of my hobbies, like training for triathlons.
USG has helped me prepare for the future both explicitly and implicitly. Explicitly by giving me the opportunity to work as a Student Ambassador and as a member of the USG Student Council. Both have been huge in regards to gaining leadership skills.
Implicitly attending a program at USG has led to my internship at LMI Government Consulting where I work in their ETS (Enterprise Technology Services) department. What started out as a summer internship, developed into a yearlong internship because their headquarters were close to campus. I assist the cybersecurity team and help the network storage team, and various other projects as assigned. This opportunity has given me an abundance of experience.
In the near future, I plan on acquiring three extremely valuable certifications within the cybersecurity field. Beyond that, I plan on getting a master’s degree. In regards to work, I hope to get a job in the federal government, then move to private. By doing that, I will have received exposure to both industries and will have gained an immense amount of knowledge.