Education

It took me two attempts at college before I ultimately earned a degree. My first try came immediately after completing my enlistment in the Army, when I enrolled at a local university and withdrew after only a few weeks. At the time, the coursework felt too similar to what I had already encountered in high school, and I struggled to justify paying for it. After spending roughly twelve years in the workforce, however, I developed a much deeper appreciation for the value of a college education. When I returned and moved beyond the general education requirements, I discovered that I genuinely enjoyed my studies and the intellectual challenge they offered. That renewed commitment to learning eventually led me to complete a Doctor of Information Technology in 2025.  

Doctor of Information Technology

After many years in industry, I wanted a program that would let me study cybersecurity and software development in greater depth while staying closely connected to real-world practice. The Doctor of Information Technology program at Capella University gave me the flexibility to focus my coursework on secure software engineering, cybersecurity management, and applied research methods. My capstone research examined how software developers in U.S. DoD contractor environments adopt structured security testing within the waterfall development model, with the goal of improving software assurance under strict contractual and compliance constraints. I completed the degree in 2025, and it significantly strengthened my ability to analyze complex technical systems, interpret research, and translate evidence-based findings into practical improvements.

Master's Degree in Computer Science

When I was part of the way through my undergraduate degree, the university created a new degree in Information Systems Security. It didn't make sense at that point to change my major so I completed the computer science bachelor's degree program. There was a lot of flexibility as to what classes I could take as part of the university's master's degree program, so I took as many classes as I could that were part of the Information Systems Security degree's curriculum. Although my master's degree is in computer science, the curriculum was almost exclusively about systems security and information assurance. I also became a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society.  

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science

I completed my undergraduate education at the University of Illinois at Springfield. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA and was a member of Upsilon Pi Epsilon international honor society. The computer science program at UIS offers two degree tracks. One has an emphasis on writing code and the other on systems security and information assurance. I participated in the latter. UIS is also designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education. The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) jointly sponsor the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) Program. The goal of this program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cybersecurity and producing a growing number of professionals with cybersecurity expertise in various disciplines. 

Associate's Degree in Computer Science

I attended John Wood Community College for the first part of my college education. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA and was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society.