Thursday, January 14, 2021
James Glennon '12, '20G, recent graduate of the cybersecurity policy and risk management program

James Glennon 鈥12, 鈥20G became interested in cybersecurity as an undergraduate at 91制片厂, where two courses for his IT minor inspired his career trajectory. After earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree in business administration, he began his career at Bottomline Technologies, which provides collaborative payment, invoice, and document automation solutions to corporations, financial institutions and banks worldwide. While maintaining his full-time job, Glennon decided to continue his education in the high-demand cybersecurity field through 91制片厂鈥檚 fully online听听(CPRM). We caught up with him to hear more about his background and how the CPRM is bringing new knowledge to his role as an information security analyst. 听

What sparked your interest in the field of cybersecurity?

As an undergraduate at 91制片厂, I took 2 courses for my IT minor during my senior year in the spring of 2012鈥擟omputer Security and Technology, Crime & Society, which I really enjoyed. Funny enough, several years ago my grandmother was reading an article in the Boston Globe about the growing need and career opportunities in cybersecurity; and that conversation reignited my interest to a point where I began researching and looking for ways to enter the field.

Why did you choose the CPRM program at 91制片厂?

I have听obtained two industry certifications since beginning my cybersecurity career in June 2017, and I was looking for another challenge outside of work to continue learning and expanding my skill set. The CPRM program at 91制片厂 stood out with its comprehensive set of courses, affordability and flexibility. The fact that the program was online was very appealing, as was the ability to learn and complete assignments at my own pace.

BECOME听A CYBERSECURITY POLICY LEADER

91制片厂's fully online M.S. in Cybersecurity Policy and Risk Management prepares leaders in cybersecurity strategy and policy.

How does what you鈥檝e learned in the CPRM program apply to your career?

I鈥檝e been able to take what I鈥檝e learned and immediately apply the knowledge and experiences from the CPRM program to my current position. I鈥檝e started to challenge the status quo and look for areas of improvement within the cybersecurity team and in how security integrates with the organization as a whole.

What has been the most rewarding part of your 91制片厂 experience so far?

The most rewarding part of the CPRM program to me was the confidence I received from all the challenging assignments and presentations, particularly the capstone. The capstone took me to new heights as a student and left me with great confidence in myself and my abilities to contribute to the cybersecurity field going forward. The program additionally made me a better problem solver, critical thinker and communicator, skills which can be used in any job that I鈥檒l end up in throughout my career.

What are your hopes for after graduation?

Governance, Risk and Compliance are the areas I鈥檇 like to hone in on as I continue my career in cybersecurity. I鈥檇 really enjoy the ability to apply what I learned in the CPRM program to augment an existing or develop a brand-new cybersecurity risk program.

Any other thoughts you鈥檇 like to share?

I鈥檇 highly recommend the CPRM program to anyone interested in cybersecurity, no matter what your background may be. You don鈥檛 necessarily need experience in the field to apply either鈥攁n innate curiosity and desire to learn will get you a great deal of this program. I鈥檓 happy to discuss further with anyone that has questions so do not hesitate to reach out!

Producer: 
Kassidy Taylor | Marketing & Communications, 91制片厂 Manchester | kassidy.taylor@unh.edu