The Journey of My Life

I’ve made a multitude of decisions in my life, but the most significant decision I’ve made thus far would have to be my final choice of a major. I didn’t always want to major in Cybersecurity. I wanted to be a veterinarian or a pediatrician so I could help children or animals, but that quickly changed when I found out I’d often see them in pain. After much thought, I decided that I wanted to be an Ultrasound Specialist. For a few years, I was very set on my career choice. I had Old Dominion University in Virginia on the top of my college list and had toured it twice with my parents. It seemed perfect -- that is, until I took an after school class in my junior year of high school called Cyber Patriots.

In Cyber Patriots, we were able to use Virtual Machines to figure out the security flaws of Windows 07 servers and Linux machines. I was so amazed that I could secure a remote computer from another computer. I don’t want to say I was obsessed, but I was definitely impressed with the technology beneath my fingertips. I took home the information that we were taught and secured my home desktop. The feeling I got when I was finished was unlike any other I’ve experienced. I was excited, proud, happy, and having fun at the same time. It was at that point that I knew I would never experience a fulfilling feeling like that in any other field, so Cybersecurity was my final decision for a major.

A visit to Capitol's campus

After explaining my new choice to my family, they were happy I had found something I was passionate about. Knowing that I had support from my family fueled my desires even more than I could have imagined. I explained to my club teacher that I wanted to major in Cybersecurity and he helped me find colleges in the area that offered bachelor’s degrees in that field. I had my top three; the University of Maryland, UMBC, and AACC. A few months later, I took the opportunity to visit Capitol College in Laurel.

Stepping off of the bus and touring the school, my heart nearly burst through my chest. I’ve never wanted to go somewhere so badly, except maybe Universal Studios, but that’s a story for a different time. I was all smiles during the entire tour. I remember looking around thinking, “Wow, every table here is the nerd table!” I was hooked.

When senior year came around, I made sure to apply to Capitol first. I've never told anyone this, but I never finished the application for UMBC, I never applied to the University of Maryland, and I only glanced at AACC’s application. Capitol College (now Capitol Technology University) was the only school I finished the application process for and I’m glad I made that decision.

Applying for a scholarship

A month later, I got my acceptance letter. It was such an amazing feeling to know the only school I truly wanted to go to had accepted me. Then, few months later I got a letter in the mail explaining that I could come to the school to give a presentation and try for a full tuition scholarship. I don’t think my heart could’ve beaten any faster. I circled yes, filled out my information, and sprang head-first into creating a PowerPoint about my life and why I wanted to major in Cybersecurity.

When the day came to present, I was a mess. I had a touch of bronchitis, could barely talk, and had heavy bags under my eyes. I pulled myself together, explained my illness and excused myself when presenting, and went home. I received a large envelope from the college and opened it before sighing heavily. Remember how I said I didn’t think my heart could’ve beaten any faster? I thought wrong. My heart could have exploded into a million pieces when I saw my acceptance for the full tuition scholarship.

After I graduated from high school, I was placed in summer classes for the scholarship. There, I met an amazing group of people I’m proud to call my friends. We bonded over the three weeks we had with each other and the time we’ve shared since our freshman year started. I learned to establish my independence by living on campus, enhance my communication skills by speaking to fellow classmates, and find plenty of friends. Thinking back on my life, it’s hard to believe that my decision to study Cybersecurity has led me to become the person I am today. I will always be grateful of the opportunities I’ve been able to have and I will never regret the choice I made junior year.

By Destinee Martin