Adam Zuckerman
I chose Norwich due to the college's legacy of being one of the oldest military institutions in the US. Norwich is well known for being a powerhouse of cybersecurity.
Q: “Tell us about yourself.”
A: “My family comes from a small Pennsylvania town in the appliance mountains. I grew up skiing, biking, hiking, and swimming around the lakes and mountains in rural PA. For fun, I love mountain biking and dirt biking in the summer, and in the winter, I enjoy skiing. I have played in the mountains since I was young and have mountaineered in Patagonia, Chile, with an organization called NOLS. I hope in the future that I will summit mountains around the world. My professional experience comes from investment operations in investment banking and as a soldier in the Army National Guard. I have worked for both Morgan Stanley as a contract employee and Bank of New York Mellon as an associate on the investment operations side. Between work, I have been drilling with the 28th ID in Pennsylvania as an infantryman. Currently, I am a full-time student devoted to computer science.”
Q: “What was your motivation for pursuing your degree?”
A: “My motivation for pursuing this degree stems from a fascination with technology and a desire to demystify the machines that hold up modern-day society. I originally completed a degree in economics at the University of Pittsburgh but found that my heart and mind are in computer science. The subjects I am interested in the most are systems and security. My future plans are with the University of Pittsburgh in their Master of Science in Computer Science. I start this fall and intend to study a wide range of topics from AI/ML to systems and security. I hope to work with the DoD in an applicable area or travel the world working remotely. I plan to pivot out of banking and into a more technology-related field. Norwich has been a great platform to launch your career into academics or industry.”
Q: “Why did you choose Norwich?”
A: “I chose Norwich due to the college's legacy of being one of the oldest military institutions in the US. Norwich is recognized for being a powerhouse of cybersecurity, holding certifications from the NSA and the New England Commission of Higher Education. Additionally, this university is well known within the military, and I first heard of it while training in Ft. Bragg.”
Q: “Did you have any uncertainties with choosing an online program?”
A: “Yes, I did. When I started out a little over two years ago, I was looking for a university that was both affordable and designed for working adults. Since Norwich fills both categories, it was the best fit for me.”
Q: “What has been your biggest personal or professional success since your degree?”
A: “My goal was to be accepted into an R1 university for a graduate program in computer science. Norwich has helped me reach this goal through their courses in the foundations of computer science. I was accepted into all my target schools.”
Q: “Please tell us about a time when you could put your knowledge gained in the classroom to work immediately at your job.”
A: “I was able to take what I learned in Network Forensics to lock down my home network. Through learning about Snort and intrusion detection systems, I was able to SSH (Secure Shell) into my router to deploy these systems on incoming packets to perform deep packet inspection. We are constantly under attack from botnets from across the global cyberspace. I was surprised to find Chinese IPs port knocking and attempting to brute force an SSH connection into my router. I was able to detect and close the threat.”
Q: “What aspects of your Norwich experience will you carry most strongly with you?”
A: “Norwich's motto of 'I will try' will follow me into the future. Even if you don't know the way forward, the first step towards finding your path is to try and try again. I am grateful for the opportunity to improve my life and pivot into a new field.”
