My name is Kirk Turner, and I am a junior at Old Dominion University. I started my college career at Tidewater Community College where I received my associate’s degree in general studies. After two years at TCC, I decided to transfer to ODU to obtain my bachelor’s in cybersecurity. I am set to graduate in spring of 2026, and from there I hope to land myself an entry level job in the cybersecurity field.

I am currently 20 years old, and I have lived right outside of Virginia Beach for my entire life. I have two fantastic parents who have helped guide me so far throughout my endeavors, as well as three older siblings who I look up to and a younger brother that I aim to set a good example for. I enjoy leading an active lifestyle: in my free time I like to exercise, go on hiking trips with my friends and family, and participate in sports. In high school, I played on the volleyball team for a couple years before the Covid-19 outbreak, but in this past year I have begun my amateur career as a tennis player and I have recently been getting into skateboarding.

When I turned 18, I secured a part-time job as a custodian at a credit card manufacturing company. Within my first year at the job, I was able to change positions to a floor technician, and I have been working there ever since. Over these past years at my job, I have learned a few critical skills that have helped me in other realms of my life. First, I have learned how to properly manage my time. Working part time 5-7 days a week along with being a full time student can be challenging if you aren’t efficient with your time. However, I’ve learned to prioritize my school work before all else, which makes it easier to have time for myself. Next, I’ve learned how to interact with people of various backgrounds. The location I work at consists of a large warehouse that employs hundreds of people. Over the years, I have seen many people come and go, and every day I enjoy making conversation with anyone I encounter. By doing so, I have made many friends and learned valuable lessons from those I come into contact with.

I am very eager to start learning more about and working in the cybersecurity field, and I hope this brief introduction has given you an idea of who I am. Thank you for reading!