Course Reflection

​

I.          Introduction

​

          Joining the Cybersecurity program at Old Dominion University has proved to be a very great choice for my academics. Classes ranging from hands-on lab work to learning about the business aspect of cybersecurity has greatly improved my understanding of the career that I have ultimately chosen. Having the opportunity to join many clubs, participate in detailed challenges, and take some of the most in depth courses regarding computer science allows for such a better understanding about the program and makes ODU a very high prospect for cyber undergraduates. Some skills that I have developed while being a part of this program that I value include people and communication skills, organization, and problem solving.

​

II.          Program Reflection

​

          While being a student at ODU, it was a very different jump after going to Tidewater Community College. Larger lectures, more in depth teachings, and being able to do assignments with virtual labs and with physical computers has definitely been among the most valuable learning experiences. CYSE200T was a course that I had taken during the fall semester of 2021 with Professor Kirkpatrick. This course was a Cybersecurity class with a focus on the business standpoint. Being able to learn about what to expect in the field after graduating from ODU was very eye opening to me and allowed for a greater understanding on the career of cybersecurity. Professor Kirkpatrick asked me to be apart of a team of students in my class to participate in a cyber challenge in which we had to come up with a plan for a current problem with information systems without knowing the prompt beforehand. This was a very good representation on how the business world works as everything must be done quickly and without hesitation, thus resulting in one of the most valuable learning experiences during my time in the program.

​

          Some courses have been very difficult and required a lot of time and effort put into them. One obstacle that I had to face head first was taking a specific computer science class. Cryptography is extremely important and an ever-changing topic in cybersecurity. CS463 is a course that goes into detail about cryptography, and after participating in the first week of assignments, I knew I had to put a lot of focus into this course. After reviewing lectures, reading over the textbook, and studying for tests, a positive result had come out of taking this difficult class as the disciplines involved with attempting to understand it had converted into the other courses in the program as well. This allowed for me to stay focused throughout my studies and be prepared for difficult weeks throughout my semesters.

​

III.          IDS 493 Reflection

​

          IDS 493 helps prepare cybersecurity majors with developing a portfolio for themselves to prepare them for the transition to the field. Throughout the course, you create an e-portfolio with many different pages on work that you have completed, courses you have taken, and everything about you that you would like to share to an employer or professor. During IDS 493, I have been able to understand that making an e-portfolio actually makes a major difference in getting your name out there and talked about within your field. Without having to constantly hand out your resume, a person can simply go onto your website and find everything they need to know about you. Developing pages like the about me, resume, and course pages has been the most interesting for me while taking IDS 493.

​

          In my e-portfolio, I believe that my presentation and layout is great. Having your website flow nice and well with each page while navigating around is very key. Additionally, having the correct color scheme and text font which is presentable is a key factor. This being said, if someone were to look at my e-portfolio, I would immediately point them to my home-page and my resume. This makes it so that they can get a short glimpse of who I am and then see exactly what I have done these recent years. 

​

          While taking IDS 493, some obstacles that I had encountered were trying to find the appropriate fitting artifacts for the course pages. This was important because the artifacts must be almost perfect with no marks against them, otherwise it would look like I ultimately did the course work incorrectly. To address this, simply finding assignments in which I had the highest grade for and showed the most amount of effort makes me feel that my e-portfolio is special. With more time, I would like to include work from my field and when I get a job. I feel that including certifications and research projects done by the team I will work with can make for a great section on my e-portfolio.

​

IV.          Conclusion

​

          Ultimately, IDS 493 has provided for a great transition for coming out of college and out of the cybersecurity program. We were able to evaluate the skills, values, and work that we have obtained and put them into a digital presentation. Interdisciplinary studies plays a large part in cybersecurity as there are many aspects that must be considered when working on challenges and when participating in team activities, which will be very relevant in our field. Being able to look at the big picture and begin to organize how certain topics are flowing through interdisciplinary studies makes for a very knowledgeable cyber employee. Finally, after ODU I plan to get many different certifications and begin to work either in the private industry or within the government.

​

​

​

​