LLAMA LEGACY: A CYBERSECURITY ICON
FEATURING COHORT 36’S FIRST NEULY HIRED: JEREMY JORDAN
Jeremy Jordan, who is from the small town of Gloucester, Virginia, was initially interested in studying marine biology but quickly changed gears when he discovered his superpower in Cyber Security! We are a bit biased here at Neumont, but we think it was a great decision to shift gears.
MARINE BIOLOGY TO COMPUTER SCIENCE
Jeremy’s first memory of technology is playing on his father’s Nintendo 64 (which is still in good condition by the way), but this did not spark his interest in tech just yet. In fact, throughout high school Jordan still intended on majoring in marine biology at his hometown college.
What prompted Jeremy to change directions? It began at his high school, where Jeremy earned his Microsoft Specialist certification. According to Jeremy, it was no big deal, but this ‘small’ achievement opened the door to new possibilities. He began researching computer science programs and quickly learned about Virginia Tech, a CS school in his own state. So, why Neumont?
Four factors convinced Jeremy that Neumont was the right school for him:
three year curriculum for a bachelor’s degree,
graduating with experience through Neumont’s Enterprise Program,
a class specifically designed to teach students how to secure a career in tech and
finally, he was able to experience Neumont in person which sealed the Neumont deal for Jeremy!
Jeremy’s journey had only just begun after enrolling at Neumont. He needed to select his major and hone in on a specific skill, and with a shortage of skilled candidates in cybersecurity, Jeremy made his decision. Neumont’s newly expanded Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Cybersecurity was the perfect fit. Between 2013 and 2021 the number of vacant cybersecurity positions increased from 1 million to 3.5 million. That’s a 350% increase! If you haven’t already heard, Neumont responded to industry demand by expanding our IS degree. As a computer science school, we recognize that this industry is constantly evolving and we strive to evolve alongside it.
THIS LLAMA’S LEGACY
Jeremy’s legacies at Neumont include founding the Cybersecurity Club, which is flourishing on campus, he also acted as the Esports Rocket League Team A Captain, and created a program in his Capstone Project that has been implemented in the server room on campus. Alongside his teammates, Jeremy designed and “rebuilt the network to put in critical infrastructure such as a new firewall, intrusion detection in prevention systems, and a new VPN access.” Neumont is pleased to see Jeremy’s passion and dedication within these campus halls.
Given that Jeremy was the first in his cohort to be hired (before completing his final quarter) he made an excellent choice in choosing his major. Following an extensive interview process that included a technical quiz, technical interview, cognitive and behavioral test, and a requirement that he write a paper, Jeremy will be working for ReliaQuest as a Cybersecurity Analyst Associate.
Congratulations, Jeremy!
Before he leaves, Jeremy has some advice to those who are considering Neumont:
The Four B’s Of Advice:
Be willing to go outside your comfort zone by going above and beyond
Be willing to look at businesses that you wouldn’t really think to normally look at
Be active in the Neumont community
Be confident in your interview, they obviously invited you to the interview for a reason
Interested in Cybersecurity? Learn how Neumont can prepare you for a career in the growing field.