Working as a Network Security intern provided a solid foundation to help jump start my career. In addition to general networking knowledge, I gained familiarity with common exploits and how to avoid them. The IT Security Office has great mentors, allowing me to work on projects tailored to my interests, and the working environment was super fun. After college, I was hired as a software engineer at a SaaS company here in Columbia. Several projects have been given to my team as a direct result of my background in security. 

Working in the Information Security Office during my undergraduate years allowed me to gain hands-on work experience, while providing insight into a potential career path. Being responsible for daily tasks such as reviewing log files, as well as assisting students and faculty with the multifactor authentication tool enabled me to see how the organization could make an impact on such a large university. Being able to work with the team while balancing a full-time college workload taught me a lot about personal organization and time management. This experience was extremely valuable when seeking full-time employment, as I was able to take everything that the team taught me and carry that with me to my future employer.

I am beyond proud to have been a student worker for Enterprise Data Networks (EDN). I had the opportunity to learn the day-to-day tasks for our infrastructure employees and was even able to get some hands-on experience for wiring, toning out signal, and locating patch panels - as well as deploying telephones. Working for EDN was one of the best opportunities I've received, and I am fully confident that I have all of the skills needed to transition to a full-time position.