Hello, my name is Jessiah. I am a senior at Old Dominion University, expecting to graduate in Fall 2026. During my time here, I have gained valuable knowledge and hands-on experience that has strengthened my passion for cybersecurity. Through my coursework and projects, I have developed both technical skills and a deeper understanding of the field. I am grateful for the opportunities I’ve had to grow, and I look forward to continuing my journey by pursuing a Master of Science in Cybersecurity.

Where I am now 

As a young adult who has gone through the ups and downs of college I have seen the worst of myself and the best of myself and ultimately how it has shaped the person I am today. I sometimes think about how I even made it this far in my college career fostering many amazing friendships and connections that would carry well beyond my day of walking the stage. My path towards cybersecurity was not a result of one single moment, instead a series of academic experiences, personal interest, and challenges that overtime gradually shaped my narrative identity. According to McAdams (2001), narrative identity is the internalized and evolving story people construct to make sense of their lives. Looking back, I can now see that my journey into cybersecurity was formed through moments of curiosity, a ton of frustration, personal growth, and self-discovery. 

Before college

Growing up, I was always fond of technology. While many children my age used computers for entertainment, games, and homework I was more interested in how it actually worked. From the grades of second through fifth I would go to my grandma’s house over the summer and she would have this old PC that somehow always had the newest update even though my grandma barely used it. My grandma would allow me to pretty much play around with and learn about it and let me read the manual that came with it and I would spend a few hours everyday just tinkering with it to learn about how computers operated. Despite my interest in anything technology related, I did not know anything about cybersecurity nor that it was a professional field. In sixth grade, I was introduced to STEM by a mentor named Dr. Melvin, who visited my middle school to speak with a group of young Black students about the opportunities available in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics or S.T.E.M for short. He explained that STEM offered promising career paths for students with a passion for technology. Although many of the students lost interest after the initial introduction, I remained engaged and eager to learn more. Because of my continued interest and participation, I was later asked by Dr. Melvin to join a group called young men of distinction. The group initially began with only me, but I soon invited several friends who shared my interest in technology, and they joined as well. Through this organization, I was given numerous opportunities to visit colleges, attend seminars, refurbish computers for donation, and learn more about careers in STEM. These experiences broadened my understanding of the technology field and ultimately sparked my passion for cybersecurity. I would eventually go on to a high school within my district that specialized in Information Technology and was put through a I.T. based curriculum that was tailored to prepare me for college. 

Choosing Old Dominion and Exploring My Major

When I finished Highschool I was so excited for the road ahead that being college. When I enrolled at Old Dominion University, I came with an open mind and full of interest in everything technological but was still unsure about my long-term career path since I truly had no clue what I was doing, only that I was happy to be there. However, Old Dominion’s Strong Cybersecurity program gave me that room to explore all of my interests in a  way that had structure. My introductory coursework to cybersecurity exposed me for my ignorance and allowed me to see more areas of technology I had previously never considered. Learning about networking, operating systems, and security principles expanded my understanding of how complex and interconnected digital systems truly are. I got to see the true side of cybersecurity and how it was not how media or movies portrayed it rather it was well controlled, required critical thinking, and being level headed whenever situations arises. One course in particular changed my perspective by a large margin and that was Cyse 301, and during a lab in this class I had to analyze packets and network traffic and within this I was tasked with identifying suspicious activity using Wireshark. What initially seemed overwhelming quickly became engaging. The process of dissecting network behavior, tracing packets, and uncovering anomalies felt like solving a puzzle. In that moment, I came to a realization that cybersecurity aligned with the way my mind approaches problems and that excited me to continue my education. 

Challenges that Strengthened My Commitment

My academic journey has not been without difficulties and upsets along the way. Cybersecurity coursework will humble you quickly if you come with an arrogant mind like I did when I first started. There were moments when my assignments began to feel insanely overwhelming particularly during hard cyber labs and tests. Initially, these frustrations made me question whether or not I truly belonged in such a technically demanding major. However, over time, those challenges became important turning points in my development. Nguyen (2013) argues that personal growth often occurs when individuals reinterpret obstacles as formative experiences rather than evidence of inadequacy. I found this to be true in my own academic life. Instead of letting it discourage me, difficult coursework taught me resilience. I learned how to troubleshoot systematically, seek help when it was needed, and remain patient when solutions were not quickly given to me. These experiences reshaped my insecurity in my ability to stay dedicated and disciplined in the field of cybersecurity. 

The Future Ahead

Today, I see cybersecurity as more than just a major– it is a field that reflects my strengths, values, and long-term aspirations. My experiences at ODU, combined with personal challenges, and professional growth, have clarified my career direction and strengthened my commitment to this path. As McAdams (2001) notes, narrative identity allows individuals to create unity and purpose from their past experiences. When I reflect on my academic and professional journey, I recognize that the curiosity I had as a child, the struggles I faced in difficult coursework, and the discipline developed through balancing work and school all contributed to the person I am becoming. My goal is to continue building my technical expertise through internships and professional certifications while pursuing opportunities in penetration testing, SOC analysis, or network defense. More importantly however, I hope to carry forward the resilience, curiosity, and steadfastness that this journey has taught me. 

Conclusion

My path toward cybersecurity was not immediate or perfectly linear. It emerged through years of curiosity, academic exploration, personal challenge, and reflective growth. Through these experiences I have had, I developed not only technical skills but a clearer understanding of my narrative identity– who I am, what I personally value, and the type of professional I hope to become. Looking back, I now understand that every challenge, uncertainty, and success contributed to shaping my story. My narrative is still unfolding day by day, but i am confident that cybersecurity is where my interest, strengths, and future ambitions all come together.