Today I am a senior at Old Dominion University graduating in May with a B.S. in cybersecurity. My story began in a small town in which I graduated in a senior class of 50 people. My eyes were opened, and the horizon expanded as I entered James Madison University where I pursed a degree in Computer Science but was cut short as I missed the cut-off for entry into the program and began a transfer to Old Dominion University where I have found success and valuable experiences that have gotten me to where I am today
Rural Virginia
I grew up in a very rural area. In my high school we had a small graduating class of around 50 people. We had dial-up longer than everyone else I went to school with and had 3G internet for a small period of time. With this it made it a little more difficult to connect with my friends who mainly found interests in gaming with each other online. As I entered high school, we finally began getting somewhat serviceable internet that enabled me to be online for a period of time. During this time, I was able to play games online with my friends and begin exploring the beautiful world wide web. The internet was absolutely life changing for me and blossomed my passion for technology. I built a computer with dad and began gaming online with Minecraft, Team Fortress 2, Counter Strike, and more.
Becoming a Victim of a Cyberattack
As a new user of the internet, I was quite naïve to the dangers of being online. My first exposure to the dangers came from online gaming. One game I was quite attached to during this time was a game named Team Fortress 2. In this game you can collect items ranging from cosmetic gear all the way to weapons in the game. I had amassed quite the collection and stayed busy applying for giveaways to get more items. One day I get a friend request from a user and get sent a message saying that I had won a giveaway which offered a free video game that everyone was talking about at the time. In my feverish excitement I message back as quickly as I can to claim my prize. All I had to do was download the game launcher and enter the code he gave me. So, I download the game launcher, login with my information, and BAM. My computer is frozen and quickly shuts off. I start it back up and everything I had collected was gone. I had become a victim of a cyber-attack.
Looking back on this I feel that it has helped fuel my passion for cybersecurity in particular. It has also improved my ability to perform in the cyber world as well. With this experience I believe I have gained a higher sense of empathy for users who have fallen for an attack no matter how silly it may be. Like in my situation, not everyone is privy to the dangers of the digital age. Many have never been exposed to situations like this and many fall victim.
James Madison University
Coming out of high school I entered James Madison University undecided. At the time I had a brief understanding that I wanted to pursue computer science because of my love for technology and how successful they were after graduation. Boy, was I shocked. As soon as I entered my mind was absolutely blown because I had no idea what was going on. My high school did not offer any coding courses, nor did I have any prior experience coding. I powered through though and began learning. I actually managed to get an A in one of my coding courses! I made it all the way to advanced programming where my lack of experience and determination were exposed. I failed the class and tried again the following semester where I fell short and did not manage to get into the program. Following this I was in a bit of a limbo. I felt ashamed and really was not sure where I was going next. I began taking some IT classes and switched majors, but my mind was not there. After another semester I dropped out with absolutely abysmal grades and took a break and started working in the meantime.
With this experience I feel that I gained a lot of humility. I came in thinking that it would be a walk in the park but knowing that not everything is going to click after the first try taught me a lot. I also learned that to succeed it takes a lot more work than I was already putting in and the importance of time management and independent learning. I also did pick up a bit of coding skills from this experience in Java and Python. I also think this experience taught me a lot about what being a real student takes.
The Hiatus
Following my drop-out of school I felt lost and confused as to what my future held. I did not want to leave James Madison University and leave all of my relationships behind. So, I stayed there and began working at a local gas station. Here I learned a lot. One of the most important things I learned here is communication. I would have to constantly solve customer complaints or solve small issues around the store. Sadly, I would not last very long here as it was no longer working for me. So, I began moving back home and began looking for work again. This landed me in the Outer Banks where I worked as a salesman. I sold vapes, knives, swords, tasers, and more to tourists. This also would not last very long because I still felt lost. I returned home and decided that academics and cybersecurity were where I was supposed to be. I began taking community college courses and applying for Old Dominion University where I am today.
Old Dominion University
After my small hiatus I felt more envigored and ferocious than before. I began taking some courses at a local community college and began my application for Old Dominion University to pursue a degree in cybersecurity. Immediately I felt like this major was where I belonged. Everything just made more sense. With my prior knowledge of coding, I even felt like I was more well-rounded and prepared to enter the workforce. After failing out of classes and missing the mark at James Madison University, I was able to redeem myself here and even made the Dean’s List in Fall of 2023. I believe that without that previous experience I would not be where I am today.
Current Time
Looking back, I feel that all of my life experiences have not only taught me a lot, but also made me a better person. I learned humility and hard work at James Madison University. I learned communications, sales, customer service, and more in my adventures following it. I also think that looking back I can find that my passion for cybersecurity really grew from falling victim to a cyber attack in my early years. Currently, I am set to graduate in May and look forward to beginning my career in cybersecurity with a wide range of skills that I have picked up along the way.