What made you decide to choose your specific major?
The Purdue Polytechnic Institute was an easy choice when I was looking at potential colleges because of its top 5 ranking in U.S. news and the clear talent in the students it was graduating. When I toured the labs I was immediately keyed into the hands-on advantage Purdue Computer Information Technology labs have and the experience of the professors.
What are a couple of your favorite things about your program of study?
The most interesting part about my major is the diversity of classes I get to take which give me a broad yet specialized ability in all domains of Cybersecurity. The peers around me are also extremely driven and collaborative which always lifts me up.
What has been one of your favorite class projects?
My favorite class project was a Network Engineering lab where I was responsible for configuring Simple Network Management Protocol by attaching over 14 devices to a Network Management server which displayed certain health statistics such as uptime, bandwidth, processor speed, and RAM utilization.
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
Outside of my classes I have served as a Communications Chair for Purdue IT Professionals, worked as a teaching assistant for two different cybersecurity classes, worked growth operations for a venture-backed startup, and I serve as a Purdue Polytechnic ambassador.
What do you know about your program of study now that you wish someone had told you when you were choosing a major?
Instead of broadly specializing in multiple cybersecurity domains figure out through trial and error which one you really like and become an expert in only that focus area. Many people have broad abilities but being able to deeply specialize in one niche area of cybersecurity is what sets you apart.
What would be one piece of advice for prospective students or new Purdue students?
The most important skill you can learn is building strong relationships while on campus.