February 24, 2023
Launching a successful career, Shawnee State University alumnus Clint Bapst has found his path in Information Security.
“I wanted to do something with computer engineering and programming since I was little,” he said. “But I wasn’t the best in math, so I thought about business or an information technology route. It would still be something with computers. Then Professor Dovel Myers started talking about the Information Security degree and it sounded intriguing.”
The Pike County, Ohio native soon discovered that not only could he learn a broad range of skills in the program, but the career possibilities are nearly endless. Through a special arrangement with the U.S. Air Force, Bapst was able to secure a contracting position in security at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.
“I will continue to learn while on this job and the Air Force will help me advance to a higher rank and pay grade,” he said. “This opens opportunities for other future careers elsewhere or to be able to stay with the Air Force.”
In a field where the career opportunities are vast, Bapst is excited to be in a growing field.
“Cybersecurity is in super demand,” he said. “And it’s going to be even more in demand as time goes by, with a huge need for certified security people in these roles.”
Bapst encourages others who are looking into a career in cybersecurity to explore SSU to gain a similar experience.
“If someone had a marginal interest in cybersecurity and were looking to go to college at Shawnee, it would be at a lower cost and it’s close to home for people in our region,” he said. “My brother earned his engineering degree from SSU as well.”
SSU’s Bachelor of Science in Information Security (Cybersecurity) is an opportunity for students to learn how to detect and defend against network infrastructure attacks. By learning how to think like a hacker, students enrolled in this program learn to use the tools hackers use to penetrate network defenses. Combining the skills of information security along with a strong foundation in business administration, graduates of the SSU program learn how to develop problem-solving and communication skills that makes themselves highly-marketable and highly-sought after in the field of Cybersecurity. Graduates of SSU’s Information Security program can be found managing operations and security of networks in health care, insurance, banking, consumer product, industrial, government, and retail sectors.
To learn more about Shawnee State University’s Information Security (Cybersecurity) program, visit shawnee.edu/cybersecurity.
This feature was originally released in the Shawnee Magazine 2022 issue. To view the full magazine online, visit shawnee.edu/magazine.