During her senior year at Grovetown High School, Lauren Wheeler made a decision that changed her life. She received an internship with the National Security Agency at Fort Gordon that opened her mind to a future career in cybersecurity.
My dad worked at Fort Gordon, so I was born and raised here, Wheeler said. And I always liked computers, but initially I thought I was more artsy. So, back in high school, I was interested in graphic design and worked on the yearbook staff. But then my dad said, Well, you know, theres an internship that the NSA offers.
Wheeler didnt know much about the internship, but there were two aspects of the program that appealed to her.
First, I thought, I can get out of school with this internship, Wheeler said, laughing. And then, I thought, It will also look good on my resume. So, I applied and received the NSA internship. That decision put me on my career path in cybersecurity, instead of graphic design.
Wheeler, now 22, is graduating from Augusta University with a bachelors degree in cybersecurity and was recently named the 2022 Top Cybersecurity Student for the School of Computer and Cyber Sciences at AU.
While attending Augusta University, Wheeler has also been working full-time for almost four years as an access control specialist, contracting for the Department of Defense. In that role, she monitors closed-circuit television systems and intrusion detection systems and maintains a top secret/sensitive compartmented information clearance. In addition, Wheeler was also awarded the Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship during her senior year at Augusta University.
With my dad working at Fort Gordon, I already grew up with security stuff in the house, so I was familiar with that part of cyber. And my internship in high school made me want to go to Augusta University because a few of the cyber professors come from the NSA, Wheeler said. So, even when I was in high school, I thought, Cyber would be a good choice. Then, when I got to AU, I knew it was the right choice.
With her cybersecurity degree, Wheeler says her career opportunities are endless and she is proud to say she already has a job waiting for her the minute she walks across the stage and receives her diploma.
A few weeks right after graduation, Ill start my job with Army Cyber at Fort Gordon, Wheeler said. Its exciting because, of course, youll hear some people talk about how, with their degree, its hard to find a job. Well, thats not the case with cyber.
She loves the fact that her cybersecurity degree will allow her to either stay in Augusta, which has become an international cybersecurity hub, or travel around the world.
I know I want to stay within the government, but I also want to travel, so once this year is done, maybe I will start looking toward other locations, Wheeler said. For example, I have family up in Washington state and I think that would be a fun place to live. My parents also just moved to Hawaii. Personally, I think it would be cool to live in another country, which the government offers tons of opportunities for jobs overseas, so Im excited about the possibilities.
One of the main aspects of cybersecurity Wheeler finds most appealing is the empowerment that she now has over computer hackers, she said.
I like the idea that I can protect myself, Wheeler said. Cybersecurity lets me be able to know what strategies I need and gives me the knowledge to protect myself. But I also have the ability to pass that knowledge on to others.
Both in high school and college, Wheeler gave speeches and presentations about the importance of cybersecurity and she was pleased with the response she received from audience members.
People were really receptive to what I was telling them because I was showing them how some social media posts and oversharing certain aspects of your life can be cyber risks, Wheeler said. For example, if youre sharing that you are on vacation, youre basically telling people youre not at home. Or, like those Instagram challenges where they ask, What do you prefer? Or, Do you like this? With those kinds of challenges, youre basically telling people the answers to your security questions. Those are the little things that people dont think about.
Another aspect of cybersecurity that Wheeler enjoys is programming, she said.
I always thought being a code hacker sounded cool, like Mr. Robot, Wheeler said, referring to the former USA Network show that featured a cybersecurity engineer who is recruited to join a group of hacktivists that aims to destroy all debt records by encrypting the financial data of one of the largest companies in the world. I thought that programming would be cool and it would be awesome to be a girl doing it, too. There arent a lot of girls in this field.
In fact, one of her favorite courses that she took at Augusta University was a class about programming taught by Steven Weldon, director of the Cyber Institute.
I just knew programming would be exciting and Steven Weldon broke it down where it was a lot of fun, Wheeler said. He made it engaging, which not all people can do, and the two hours in the lab would just fly by.
I also liked Dr. Jason Williams classes because he stimulates a lot of conversation in the classroom, she added. That was nice because sometimes with this major and if you are a student like me who doesnt live on campus we dont get to talk to a lot of the other students. But, in his class, he encourages discussions and that helps you get to know your peers. And now I really know the people who Im graduating with this spring.
After four years at Augusta University, Wheeler cant believe she will receive her diploma this week.
Everything just went by so fast. Its crazy to me that its already time to graduate. My brain is still on 2020 sometimes, Wheeler said, laughing. But my parents are super proud, especially my dad. When I decided to go into cybersecurity, I almost didnt want to tell him. I didnt want people to think, Oh, she went into cybersecurity because her dad is in computer science. I just like to figure things out myself.
But Im so glad that I went into cybersecurity and my parents are thrilled with my decision and cant wait for me to graduate.
Augusta Universitys Spring 2022 Commencement ceremonies will be held Thursday, May 12 and Friday, May 13. Thursdays ceremony will honor graduate students, and Fridays ceremonies will honor undergraduate students. Watch the events via livestream.
LikeLoveHahaWowSadAngry
31
View original post here:
Graduation Week 2022: Cybersecurity grad prepares to protect the world - Jagwire Augusta
- NSA fears quantum computing surprise: 'If this black swan event happens, then we're really screwed' - Washington Times - March 27th, 2024 [March 27th, 2024]
- The NSA Warns That US Adversaries Free to Mine Private Data May Have an AI Edge - WIRED - March 27th, 2024 [March 27th, 2024]
- Five ways to implement zero-trust based on NSA's latest guidance - SC Media - March 27th, 2024 [March 27th, 2024]
- Intel analyst shared classified information on Discord, investigators say - The Washington Post - March 27th, 2024 [March 27th, 2024]
- Water Systems Vulnerable To Cyber Attacks, NSA And EPA Warn Governors - Forbes - March 27th, 2024 [March 27th, 2024]
- Amritpal Singhs mother, kin of other NSA detainees go on hunger strike, want them to be shifted to Punjab jail - The Tribune India - February 24th, 2024 [February 24th, 2024]
- Rob Joyce leaving NSA at the end of March - CyberScoop - February 24th, 2024 [February 24th, 2024]
- NSA cyber director to step down after 34 years of service - Nextgov/FCW - February 24th, 2024 [February 24th, 2024]
- Behind Khattar govts U-turn on NSA against farm leaders, fear of rural blowback, Congress gain - The Indian Express - February 24th, 2024 [February 24th, 2024]
- Payday dispute prompts maintenance worker walkout at NSA Naples - Stars and Stripes - February 24th, 2024 [February 24th, 2024]
- CISA, NSA, and FBI Warn of Chinese Cyber Hacking Army The Presidential Prayer Team - The Presidential Prayer Team - February 24th, 2024 [February 24th, 2024]
- Cyber Security Headlines: Microsoft takes another hit, Energy giant hit by ransomware, the NSA is secretly buying your ... - CISO Series - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- India now cooperating with Nijjar probe: Canada's NSA - IndiaTimes - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- Google, WhiteSnake, Outlook, NSA, Juniper, Jason Wood, and More SWN #358 - SC Media - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- Readout of NSA Jake Sullivan's Meetings with PM Srettha and DPM/FM Parnpree - US Embassy in Thailand - USEmbassy.gov - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- NSA Admits Secretly Buying Your Internet Browsing Data without Warrants - The Hacker News - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- Readout of NSA Jake Sullivan's Meeting with CCP Politburo Member, Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs ... - US Embassy & Consulates in... - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- Former NSA Saint has a chance to become repeat Super Bowl champion - The Suffolk News-Herald - Suffolk News-Herald - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- NSA is buying Americans internet browsing records without a warrant - TechCrunch - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- As NSA buys up Americans' browser records, Uncle Sam is asked to simply knock it off - The Register - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- NSA buys sensitive data on Americans without any court order - KJZZ - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- NSA Veteran Teresa Shea Joins Board of Directors of Two Six Technologies - ExecutiveBiz - January 30th, 2024 [January 30th, 2024]
- How the FBI, NSA are preparing for deepfakes and misinformation issue ahead of 2024 elections - CNBC - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- AI is helping US spies catch stealthy Chinese hacking ops, NSA official says - CyberScoop - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- AI aids nation-state hackers but also helps US spies to find them, says NSA cyber director - TechCrunch - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- NSA Director Paul Nakasone to Step Down in Early February - Bloomberg - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- NSA says cybersecurity will gain many benefits with generative AI - ReadWrite - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- FBI and NSA directors discuss their concerns about AI - WCBE 90.5 FM - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- Looking back at 2023 with the NSA's Rob Joyce and Morgan Adamski - CyberScoop - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- NSA: Benefits of generative AI in cyber security will outweigh the bad - ITPro - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- AI Identified as Emerging Threat in Cyber Crime by NSA Director - CoinGape - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- AI is helping China-backed hackers but it's also helping to hunt them down, NSA says - TechRadar - January 14th, 2024 [January 14th, 2024]
- Top 10 misconfigurations: An NSA checklist for CISOs - The Stack - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- CISA and NSA Issues New Identity and Access Management Guidance for Vendors - TechRepublic - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- How to Protect Against Evolving Phishing Attacks - National Security Agency - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- NSA Shares Recommendations to Advance Device Security Within ... - National Security Agency - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- Nansemond-Suffolk tennis falls to Norfolk Academy Thursday - The ... - Suffolk News-Herald - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- NSA calls for a 'root and branch' review of Red Tractor - Farmers Guardian - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- Israel's NSA warns of US intervention as Gaza conflict escalates - IndiaTimes - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- The U.S. government is still in its Tumblr era. - Slate - October 20th, 2023 [October 20th, 2023]
- Biden's Cyber Command and NSA nominee seen as a pick for continuity - The Record from Recorded Future News - July 17th, 2023 [July 17th, 2023]
- 5 Reasons to Work for the NSA - ClearanceJobs - ClearanceJobs - July 17th, 2023 [July 17th, 2023]
- I will do my best as NSA: Ribadu promises - FRCN HQ - Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria - July 17th, 2023 [July 17th, 2023]
- Plateau killings: Reps ask NSA to declare national emergency - TheCable - July 17th, 2023 [July 17th, 2023]
- 7th Deputy NSA Meeting of Colombo Security Conclave held in ... - ANI News - July 17th, 2023 [July 17th, 2023]
- Young shepherd from region wins NSA North Sheep trophy ... - Darlington and Stockton Times - July 17th, 2023 [July 17th, 2023]
- HBO film based on NSA leaker Reality Winner slated for May 29 ... - Military Times - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Tina Satter on why her NSA whistleblower film Reality is stranger than fiction - Financial Times - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Gen. Paul Nakasone Plans to Step Down as NSA Director ... - Executive Gov - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Readout of NSA Jake Sullivan's Meeting with CCP Politburo ... - US Embassy & Consulates in China - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Young sheep farmers to be given genetic boost by new NSA giveaway - The Scottish Farmer - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Sydney Sweeney wanted to be challenged by Reality: Its a different muscle playing someone who is real [Exclusive Video Interview] - Yahoo... - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Intercepted: The Biggest Whodunnit of the Century - The Intercept - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- Personal injury + the No Surprises Act - Chiropractic Economics - May 18th, 2023 [May 18th, 2023]
- PM Narendra Modi e-inaugurating new office complexes of CBI at Shilong, Pune and Nagpur, commemorating the CBI diamond jubilee on Monday. Also seen... - April 4th, 2023 [April 4th, 2023]
- Special Collection Service - Wikipedia - March 31st, 2023 [March 31st, 2023]
- What is the NSA and how does it work? - SearchSecurity - February 5th, 2023 [February 5th, 2023]
- Watch: NSA Ajit Doval is Ambitious, Very Good at Sniffing Power and Being on the Right Side of itAS Dulat - The Wire - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]
- Shockwaves win another championship, this time at the NSA Fresno Pilgrimfest - Lompoc Record - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- EFCC secures forfeiture of N755m, luxury assets from ex-AGF, former aide to NSA The Nation Newspaper - The Nation Newspaper - November 23rd, 2022 [November 23rd, 2022]
- What is the National Security Agency? - Norwich University - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- Cyber Security Today, Oct. 19, 2022 A warning from the NSA about nation-state attacks, and more - IT World Canada - October 21st, 2022 [October 21st, 2022]
- In the Alphabet Soup of Regulations, the NSA, GFE and AEOB Have Yet to Coalesce - RACmonitor - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- Do not ignore any communication shared by NSCS, NSA: PM Modi to ministers - The Hindu - October 6th, 2022 [October 6th, 2022]
- NSA Announces Date of the National Cryptologic Museum Grand Opening - National Security Agency - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- NSA and ACLU may face off in the Supreme Court over Wikipedia - Grid - October 2nd, 2022 [October 2nd, 2022]
- The NSA is Here to Help | Decipher - Duo Security - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- Hollen, Raskin Join with NSA Bethesda Fire Fighters, IAFF Leaders to Highlight Progress on Efforts to Improve Base Conditions, Build New Facility |... - September 27th, 2022 [September 27th, 2022]
- CISA, FBI, NSA, Treasury, Cyber Command, and International Partners Release Advisory on Malicious Cyber Actors Affiliated with Iranian Government... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- NATFORCE: Buhari Finally Disbands Security Outfit After Senate Ignored NSA To Recognize Body The Whistler Newspaper - The Whistler Nigeria - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- China Accuses NSA of Hacking Its Military Research University - VICE - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- Behind the Toque: An Interview with NSA Noodle Bar Executive Chef Brooke Apfelbaum - greenpointers.com - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- In the Garden: Tour gives Omahans a chance to see how a 'Bloom Box' works - Omaha World-Herald - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- Three area teams pickup wins to start football season - The Suffolk News-Herald - Suffolk News-Herald - September 9th, 2022 [September 9th, 2022]
- NSA to reveal identities of big men behind oil theft in Nigeria Presidency - Daily Post Nigeria - August 22nd, 2022 [August 22nd, 2022]
- Former US Cyber Command and NSA chief makes the case for a cyber competition strategy | The Strategist - The Strategist - August 22nd, 2022 [August 22nd, 2022]
- Inaugural India-Central Asia NSA meeting to be held in December - WION - August 22nd, 2022 [August 22nd, 2022]
- Home | Open Source @ NSA - August 8th, 2022 [August 8th, 2022]
- Kennesaw State named top institution for cybersecurity outreach - Kennesaw State University - August 8th, 2022 [August 8th, 2022]
- US city of Boston to mark 75th anniversary of India's Independence with two-day extravaganza - NewsDrum - August 8th, 2022 [August 8th, 2022]