IDS 493

Introduction

I started my journey at Old Dominion University in the spring of 2024. At the time I had just moved to the states and was ready to begin an exciting new chapter in my life by pursuing a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity. I’ve always been a goal-oriented person, and even though I didn’t know much about cybersecurity when I decided to pursue this degree, I did have curiosity and determination. From the moment I started my journey at ODU, I had a very clear goal: I wanted to earn a degree that would give me the opportunity to work in the cybersecurity field and find a role within government agencies or the military. Ever since I was little, technology and its constantly evolving nature have always fascinated me. So much so that I wanted to discover everything that surrounded the field, from how systems work, how they can present vulnerabilities, and how cybercriminals manage to do what they do to how they can be stopped and how to patch vulnerabilities and prevent attacks to how to write programs or use specific tools like Linux and Python and participate in CTF events. At the start of my academic career, I was also very hesitant. I had no idea what to expect, the people I would meet, and the environment I would be immersed in, but despite that, I wanted to challenge myself and build my future.

Academic Journey

Throughout my time at ODU, I was lucky enough to meet incredible professors with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working: Dr. Gladden with his always positive attitude and motivational quotes at the beginning of every class, Professor Duvall, who has always been nothing but the best supporter and who’s always ready to help me and give me sound advice, Professor Hind, Professor Kirkpatrick… the list goes on. The School of Cybersecurity at Old Dominion University is very lucky to have faculty members with a very high caliber that want to see their students succeed in all they do.

At ODU, many courses played a crucial role in shaping my understanding of cybersecurity and in the development of my technical and policy-based knowledge. Classes such as Networking and Security (CYSE 495), Cybersecurity Fundamentals (CYSE 462), Cybersecurity Strategy and Policy (CYSE 425), Cyber War (CYSE 526), Cybersecurity Risk Management (CYSE 430), Cyber Law (CYSE 406), Windows Management Security (CYSE 280), and other courses like Cybersecurity Techniques and Operations (CYSE 301) or even Cyber Programming and Networking (CYSE 250) have all been extremely fundamental in my learning journey.

Each of these courses, some more technical than others, has given me the opportunity to dive deep into the world of cybersecurity and understand how to manage risks and prevent them, like it is in the example of 430. Others taught me how to use programming languages like Python, while others have taught me how to manage Windows systems or understand how to work with Linux and how important this tool is for us. (These courses allowed me to gain hands-on experience working with operating systems, scripting, and system administration.) While others have taught me how interdisciplinary cybersecurity can be, like in the case of cyber law, cyber war, and cyber criminology.

By far, one of the best experiences was being chosen for the ODU COVA CCI Cyber Clinic Internship program in the spring of 2025. From a list of 90 applicants, I, as well as 17 other students, was chosen to participate in the internship. The cyber clinic, in partnership with Valor Cybersecurity, provides cybersecurity awareness and services (education and risk management posture) to small businesses and government organizations within Hampton Roads while providing an experiential learning opportunity for the students participating in the program at ODU as cybersecurity interns/consultants.

This internship gave me the opportunity to apply what I had learned in the classroom to real-world scenarios. During my internship, my team worked with a global satellite and communications company. Although the company operated on an international level, we discovered that their cybersecurity infrastructure was a bit limited. My team and I conducted assessments, identified vulnerabilities, and developed recommendations to improve their security practices.

The company I worked with says, “The Cyber Clinic Team that assessed (name of company) conducted a thorough assessment and helped (name of company) identify areas for improvement to ensure better cybersecurity compliance. Thank you to the staff at COVA CCI for organizing the program. It was a wonderful experience.” Through this experience, I became more confident in my abilities and more comfortable working in professional environments.

Looking back at the different experiences, there are several things that define my academic journey. When I first started my studies, cybersecurity felt like a complex and unfamiliar field. However, each class, project, and hands-on experience gradually helped me build confidence and competence. Something I’ve realized in these years at Old Dominion is how cybersecurity isn’t merely a technical field, but it is also an agglomeration of communication skills, teamwork (key in cybersecurity), and problem-solving. Despite the global and growing nature of cybersecurity, seeing how vulnerable some companies can be made me understand how important this work is, motivating me to make meaningful contributions to the field through my work.

One downside of some courses at ODU is the online courses. It’s very difficult to learn effectively when a class that demands collaboration and hands-on work is only available online. In fact, I tried to avoid as many online courses as I could.

As I move forward, I plan to apply the skills I have developed at ODU in professional cybersecurity settings. My technical knowledge in networking, system management, and programming, combined with my experience in risk assessment and consulting, will help me contribute effectively to organizations that need strong cybersecurity practices.

For the future, I wish for myself to work in sectors where cybersecurity is a priority, like government agencies, defense organizations, or critical infrastructure sectors. To further deepen my knowledge in the field, I plan to get my Security Plus certification, as well as other certifications and trainings. And my ePortfolio will be a living example of all my successes.

ePortfolio Experience

The ePortfolio experience has been very eye-opening. Looking back at all my coursework and choosing the right artifacts to showcase in my ePortfolio has shown me how much I’ve grown. I started ODU with a very vague understanding of cybersecurity, and looking at myself now, I’ve come a very long way.

With IDS 493, Instead of simply talking about my accomplishments, I learned how to present them in a way that shows my skills, values, and professional goals. This process helped me articulate my experiences more clearly and confidently. Creating a portfolio required me to think carefully about how to work on the design and structure, making it look like a professional site so that it is easy to navigate and visually engaging.

Something a bit challenging about this class was choosing the best and most impactful experiences/courses at ODU to make my site as narrowed down as possible. I wanted to ensure that my ePortfolio was aligned with my studies and my future goals.

Some classes I’ve taken prior to IDS 493 that have helped me in this class have been IDS 300W, teaching me how to link different subjects together, and all my writing classes, such as ENGL 110 and 112L, as well as other writing-intensive classes like CYSE 430 and 425, that helped refine my writing skills.

For future students, I recommend not underestimating the importance of having a professional ePortfolio where to showcase all the hard work done because you never know who’ll see it. An employer might be amazed with your page and skills and hire you immediately! Additionally, keep everything organized so keeping track of all coursework to add to the site is easy. I plan to continue expanding my portfolio. In the future, I want to add new sections that include professional projects, certifications, research work, or industry experiences.

Conclusion

ODU has opened many doors for me and allowed me to have many exciting experiences. These include participating in events like CyberForge and GovTechCon, organizing events like the Maritime IT Summit, being featured in publications like Forbes and the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics for my role in the internship program, being chosen to serve as a cybersecurity Teaching Assistant for the Cyber Clinic for over two semesters, and even having the opportunity to speak at a cybersecurity panel this upcoming April.

Lastly, I’ll be walking the stage this semester and finally receiving a bachelor’s degree in science. Although I’m sad this chapter is about to be concluded, I’ll still be very present at ODU and part of the huge school of cybersecurity family we have, as I will be pursuing a master’s degree in cybercrime and cyber conflict.