{"id":405,"date":"2025-02-16T21:29:04","date_gmt":"2025-02-16T21:29:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/?page_id=405"},"modified":"2025-12-03T19:13:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T19:13:19","slug":"about-me","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/about-me\/","title":{"rendered":"About Me"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"769\" height=\"1024\" src=\"http:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/02\/markpic-769x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-363\" style=\"width:136px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/02\/markpic-769x1024.jpg 769w, https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/02\/markpic-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/02\/markpic-768x1023.jpg 768w, https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/02\/markpic-1154x1536.jpg 1154w, https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/02\/markpic-630x840.jpg 630w, https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/02\/markpic-960x1280.jpg 960w, https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/02\/markpic.jpg 1538w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 769px) 100vw, 769px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">Welcome to My ePortfolio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hello! I\u2019m Mark Prather, and this ePortfolio is a window into my journey as both a student and a professional. Here, I aim to share not just my academic achievements but also my personal and professional growth and interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A Bit About Me:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Background:<\/strong>&nbsp;Born and raised in Tacoma, WA, I\u2019ve transitioned from a long, distinguished career as a helicopter pilot in both military and civilian sectors, which spanned nearly 20 years, into a new passion for Cybersecurity. My academic path has taken me from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics, to Old Dominion University, where I am currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Academic Goals:<\/strong>&nbsp;My aim is to use my rich professional experience and newly acquired knowledge in Cybersecurity to embark on a fresh career path. I am particularly drawn to areas like Cyber Defense and Systems Security.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Personal Interests:<\/strong>&nbsp;When I\u2019m not delving into cybersecurity or studying, I enjoy playing golf and spending quality time with my two young children. These hobbies not only provide a balance to my life but also enhance my problem-solving and creative skills, which I apply in both my professional and academic endeavors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Certifications:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li>Certified Rotary Wing Pilot with Commercial and Instrument certifications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Past certification as an Emergency Medical Technician \u2013 Basic<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Past certification as a Wildland Firefighter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Past certification as Real Estate Agent<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Looking Forward:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am committed to lifelong learning and growth, whether it\u2019s through hands-on projects like working on my truck or house, or through academic pursuits like learning to code or deepening my understanding of Cybersecurity. I\u2019m eager to contribute to the Cybersecurity community, make a meaningful impact, and continue to evolve professionally. Thank you for taking the time to explore my ePortfolio. I\u2019m looking forward to engaging with you further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!selectors.core.file.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/12\/pratherres-1.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Embed of pratherres-1.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-3a7470bc-7632-4d78-953b-38fe4f8ee42f\" href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/12\/pratherres-1.pdf\">pratherres-1<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33421\/2025\/12\/pratherres-1.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-3a7470bc-7632-4d78-953b-38fe4f8ee42f\">Download<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to My ePortfolio Hello! I\u2019m Mark Prather, and this ePortfolio is a window into my journey as both a student and a professional. Here, I aim to share not just my academic achievements but also my personal and professional growth and interests. A Bit About Me: Certifications: Looking Forward: I am committed to lifelong&#8230; <\/p>\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/about-me\/\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":26741,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/405"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26741"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=405"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/405\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":493,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/405\/revisions\/493"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wp.odu.edu\/mcpcyber\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=405"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}