To learn more about me, I did not initially attend ODU. I transferred here during the second semester of my freshman year. Filled with nerves, I was anxious about this new journey for myself. As an individual pursuing a career in cybersecurity, it had made it a priority to go to a school specializing in the field. Reflecting on my experience, I can proudly say that this was one of the best academic decisions I’ve made for myself. Nearing my final year with ODU, I am amazed at how fast the time has flown. I am extremely grateful for what ODU and the School of Cybersecurity have been able to do for me. The program taught me the necessary skills and knowledge to obtain internships and other opportunities; in return, I could use the experience gained through internships to better myself in my cybersecurity academia. I am a hardworking student who doesn’t seek rewards or acknowledgment. Knowing that the School of Cybersecurity rewards its top students has been nice. I can proudly say that I am recognized as an NSF CyberLeaders SFS Recipient.

One early problem that I faced was that many cybersecurity courses were either online or could only meet once a week for three hours. I am a student that works better in the classroom, but the options presented to me didn’t enable me to thrive in the conditions. Faced with these challenges, I had to create a solution for myself. I decided that no matter my circumstance, I would slow the course down for myself and self-teach the material through detailed notes. This allowed me to excel in any course and I am proud that I was able to adjust and create a solution for myself rather than giving up.

One thing that makes ODU’s Cybersecurity program unique is the integration of Interdisciplinary Studies into the coursework. It was helpful that the program informed and taught students that the Field of Cybersecurity is somewhat technical. Taking such courses, I deepened my understanding of Cybersecurity. I found it fascinating that an individual could work in this field and not even touch a computer one time in their career. This is due to policymaking, research, etc; these fields allow you to work in Cybersecurity but not be technical

IDS 493 is the course where students reflect on their college and professional experiences and implement them into a digital portfolio. Depending on the student, they may have already begun the process or may start from the ground up. No matter where the student is at, this course starts from the very beginning and aids the student on a week to week basis. To me, this course’s purpose is to record your college experience so that you can always look back and see your journey and how it got you to where you’re currently in life. One important skill this course taught me on building a webpage is the ensuring of accessibility. At times, thinks may not properly load or an individual lacks the proper resources to view content on your page. I learned that it is important to label all of your work so that if an user is ever faced with this issue they will at least have an understanding of what is supposed to be displayed. As mentioned earlier, due to previous courses, I have already been in the process of creating my e-portfolio. However this course gave me the proper framework in how to structure my site and effectively convey the message that I was trying to bring to my page. In the future, I plan to continue adding on to my portfolio. When I get a job, I will create new menus and make sure to document my experience. As I obtain more internships, I will continue to update my internship pages. Ultimately, I laid the foundation and built the house; it is now time to add the furniture.

As I am nearing the completion of the portfolio, the next steps are to showcase my life post graduation. Ensuring that I update and show everything I did in college and in the real world over to the world.