Name: Michael Blanchard
Course: CYSE 368
Term: Summer 2026
Instructor: Teresa Duvall
TA: Jada Hines
Company/Organization: ITA International
Reflection #: 2
During my second 50 hours of my internship at ITA International, I feel like I have started to
understand more about what it is actually like to work in the cybersecurity field. I’ve been
working on a lot of CMMC projects, database projects, and also helping with planning and
building an underwater database center. Every day has been different, and it has pushed me to
learn things that I honestly never thought I would be exposed to this early.
The biggest thing I have noticed is how much cybersecurity is connected to everything. Before
this internship, I mostly thought about cybersecurity from what I learned in class. Now I am
seeing how security requirements, compliance, databases, documentation, and planning all
work together in the real world. There is so much more behind the scenes than I realized, and it
has given me a new appreciation for the work people do every day.
One challenge I have faced is trying to keep up with everything that is new to me. There are
times when I hear people talking about different technologies or processes that I have never
worked with before. At first, it made me feel like I was behind everyone else. Instead of letting
that discourage me, I started writing things down, asking questions when I needed to, and doing
research after work so I could understand things better. I know I am still learning, and I have
accepted that nobody starts off knowing everything.
Working on the CMMC projects has also shown me how important compliance is. Before this
internship, I knew what CMMC was from class, but actually seeing how organizations prepare
for requirements and document everything has been completely different. It has helped me
understand why attention to detail is so important in cybersecurity because one small mistake
could create bigger problems later.
The database work has also been interesting because it showed me another side of technology
that I had not spent much time working with before. Even something that seems simple at first
can become complicated when security, organization, and reliability all have to work together.
The underwater database center project has probably been one of the coolest things I have
been involved with because it is something I never expected to learn about. It showed me that
technology keeps evolving, and there are always new ideas being developed.
Personally, I think I have grown over these last 50 hours. I still struggle with doubting myself
sometimes, but every time I complete another task or understand something new, it reminds me
that I actually belong here. I know I still have a lot to learn before I become the cybersecurity
professional I want to be, but I also know I am making progress every week.
One thing I have learned about myself is that I enjoy being around people who know more than I
do. It pushes me to become better instead of staying comfortable. I would rather be challenged
every day than be somewhere I never have to learn anything new. That mindset has helped me
stay motivated throughout this internship.
Going into the next 50 hours, I want to continue building my technical knowledge and become
more confident in the work I am doing. I also want to ask more questions and take advantage of
every opportunity I have because I know internships are where you build the foundation for your
future career. My overall goal is still the same: become successful in cybersecurity, continue
improving every day, and eventually build a career that I can be proud of.
Overall, these past 50 hours have been a great learning experience. I have gained more
confidence, learned about real-world cybersecurity projects, and continued developing both my
technical and professional skills. I know there is still a long way to go, but this internship has
shown me that I am moving in the right direction, and it has motivated me to keep pushing
myself to become better every day.