IDS 300W taught me how to combine ideas from different fields and use them together to understand complex issues. In this class I learned how policy, technology, ethics, and media each explain part of a problem, and how bringing them together creates a clearer and more balanced perspective. My main assignment was a research paper on how U.S. surveillance evolved from the Patriot Act to modern AI systems, which pushed me to connect law, cybersecurity, philosophy, and social science into one argument. This class strengthened my critical thinking and helped me get better at breaking down complicated topics, which is something I use every day at Preferred Direct and in my path toward cybersecurity and GRC work.

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