“CyberStart America helped me to realize my sudden interest in cybersecurity and computers. After consideration, I full-heartedly hope to major in computer engineering in college.”

This is a guest post written by Angelo from Glen A. Wilson High, California. He became an NCS Scholar through CyberStart America 2022/2023 and the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation.

Angelo discusses how CyberStart America sparked his interest in cybersecurity.

Would you recommend CyberStart America to a friend?

Yes. I never had as strong of an understanding of cybersecurity as I do because of CyberStart!

What have you enjoyed about CyberStart America?

I enjoy CyberStart America's environment that offers students hands-on and semi-guided experience of cyber. I enjoy CyberStart America's ideology behind teaching complex material, giving basics in cyber while allowing students to explore cybersecurity themselves in a fun, interactive domain.

What was your favourite part of the program?

Though a little irrelevant, my favorite section is the "Groups" section of the program. I enjoy the competitiveness that CyberStart America has when viewing your Groups. Being able to compare your progress to others allows you to show your growth to many people as well as allowing you to judge how much effort you need to put into your learning. Reciprocally, other students begin to feel the same, allowing for an environment where students focus on improving themselves further alongside one another as opposed to tackling a mountain of lessons and challenges.

How do you think CyberStart has helped you prepare for future studies or a potential career in cybersecurity?

My personal goal as a major is engineering, but I am uncertain on which field of engineering I wanted to dedicate my interest to. I have not given myself many opportunities to explore which I would choose. College has especially put time pressure into deciding what I wanted to major in, yet I am still not completely decided yet.

Through my experience in CyberStart America, I have unlocked a level of interest in something I, until recently, have never seen in myself. Though I started quite late in the program, it has not prevented me from spending many hours until the final moments of the program, achieving a satisfactory number of points in a matter of half a week.

CyberStart America helped me to realize my sudden interest in cybersecurity and computers. After consideration, I full-heartedly hope to major in computer engineering in college.

Want to find your passion for cybersecurity like Angelo?Then check out the free CyberStart America program and see if you’re eligible to join.