School/Division Division of Information Technology & Sciences 
Programs Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Major 
Class 2023
Pronouns He/Him/His
Home State Florida

Concentration

Cybersecurity Operations

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The Leahy Center at Champlain College, Department of Defense in San Diego, CA

Favorite Class

Ethical Hacking and Penetration Testing

Post-Grad Job

Department of Defense

What drew you to your major?

I’ve always found technology fascinating. Growing up playing multiplayer games with my friends is what got me interested in a career in some IT discipline. I really enjoyed learning how to set up game servers and keep them running so I could play with my friends. As time progressed, I wanted to take my technical knowledge and use that to help people. Digital forensics seemed like a great way to do that. Once I arrived at Champlain I started working at the Leahy Center. The work I did there made me realize I really enjoy the topics covered in the Cybersecurity major. For that reason, I decided to double major my sophomore year.The world is more digital than ever, and every day more and more items are connected to the internet. With this growth of technology has also come cybercrime. These cybercriminals conduct operations that can target individuals or large scale organizations that impact hundreds to millions of people across the globe. The cybersecurity industry and law enforcement have been working hard to stop these cybercriminals but there is a shortage of skilled professionals.

What opportunities have allowed you to apply classroom learning to real-world experience in your field?

The Northeastern Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NECCDC) was a great opportunity I participated in that allowed me to apply my classroom learning to real-world settings. NECCDC is a competition in which students from institutions across the Northeast defend simulated company networks against professional ethical hackers. Working on a team of eight, students have to defend a network over multiple days while also completing business objectives to ensure that the fictitious company is still operational during cyber-attacks. I have been fortunate enough to have participated in this event for the past three years moving my way up to our team’s Linux lead.

How do you think your experiences will give you a competitive advantage post-grad?

Through the hands-on learning at Champlain and the work I’ve done at the Leahy Center I have experience with many industry standard technologies. This is something that a lot of people my age don’t have. Since starting at Champlain I have been working in positions that are directly relevant to my field. This means that when I graduate, I will have about four years of relevant work experience.

Since starting at Champlain I have been working in positions that are directly relevant to my field.
Dylan Navarro
Dylan Navarro, Class of 2023

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