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By Kelsey Kendall

�������� students are not waiting until graduation to do real cybersecurity work. Through a new Student Security Operations Center, Monarchs are gaining hands-on experience protecting University systems, learning industry tools and building confidence that many professionals do not develop until years into their careers.

Launched in Fall 2025, the program places Monarch students inside the University’s security operations center, where they train, alongside professional analysts, and respond to real alerts. The first cohort includes seven juniors and seniors in the cybersecurity program who began training at the beginning of the academic year and have reached a point where they can take on work more independently with a supportive network to help when they need it. 

"This is the latest of several experiential learning programs we have launched at the School of Cybersecurity in recent years, and I am grateful to Kate Rhodes and Luke Watson for this partnership with the University Information Security Office," said Daniel Takabi, Ph.D., director of the School of Cybersecurity and Batten Endowed Chair in Cybersecurity.

Supervising the students is Luke Watson, deputy chief information security officer in the Division of Digital Transformation and Technology, who said he wanted this to be an opportunity he would have jumped at when he was at these students’ stage.

“We’re in a position where we can provide this opportunity and help these students acquire real-world skills,” Watson said. “They can leave �������� having real IT security knowledge, which many don’t get until three or five years into their careers.” 

Aiden West, a senior in cybersecurity with a minor in information technology from Yorktown, Virginia, said working in the University’s Security Operations Center gives him and others in his cohort valuable experience to include on their resumes that will help them land interviews. 

“This kind of opportunity is once in a lifetime,” Aiden said. “Experience is necessary in the cybersecurity industry if you’re trying to get a job.”

Cybersecurity students are required to complete internships, which ties directly into ��������’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan, “Forward-Focused: Where Innovation Meets Possibilities,” goal to ensure students have internships or work-based learning opportunities before graduation by 2027. This goal reflects the University’s commitment to graduating future-ready professionals prepared to enter and succeed in the workforce. 

It is also a “win-win” for the University, Watson said, because of the assistance it receives from students in managing the volume of security alerts that need to be analyzed on a regular basis. 

Jalen Walker, a senior in cybersecurity from Woodbridge, Virginia, is one of the students working through these alerts and looking for potential phishing emails. The staff at the Security Operations Center supported him and others in the cohort throughout the first semester of work, allowing the students to shadow analysts and be mentored by those in positions they are working toward.

“The staff is as excited to come in just as much as we’re excited,” Jalen said, adding that the staff have helped with resumes and preparing for careers after graduation. “They really want to help us.”

Already, the experience is helping Jalen progress toward his career goals. When he attends career fairs and networking events, Jalen can talk about his experience using industry tools and programs few students have the chance to work with. 

As this program continues, University leaders hope to expand opportunities for future cybersecurity students. For Aiden, Jalen and their peers, the experience has already reshaped what feels possible after graduation. By pairing classroom learning with real-work experience and professional-grade responsibility, �������� is helping students build the skills, confidence and connections to move directly into the workforce and make an immediate impact.