Russell Church: How to Start a Career in Cybersecurity

Russell Church hadn’t expected to build a career in information technology. He’d already earned a Master of Business Administration from the University of South Alabama when a manager at the automotive company JM Family Enterprises told him about a job opening with their support team. Calling on his brief experience fixing Mac computers in his college’s writing lab, Church applied for the position — and got it.

Over 25 years, Church worked his way up from delivering customer support to delivering enterprise support for the company, which handles contracts for World Omni Financial Corp and Southeast Toyota Finance. Church now works in the project management office, supporting the leasing, retail, and accounting teams with security and compliance processes. This involves identifying vulnerabilities on websites and upgrading to more advanced system features.

Last year, Church saw an opportunity to build his expertise in a growing field and decided to learn how to start a career in cybersecurity.

“Cybersecurity seems to be where the future is headed,” Church says. “In my company, there are positions available and opening in various aspects of cybersecurity, [including] non technical positions.”

That’s when Church found the online Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Cybersecurity Management program at the Tulane University School of Professional Advancement (SoPA).

Real-World Learning in an Online Setting

SoPA provides working professionals with real-world learning experiences through collaborative projects. Students of the MPS in Cybersecurity Management program complete exercises for a fictional athletic equipment company called South Balance. The company even has a functioning website and video advertisements.

“Throughout the program, the videos, educational materials, and exercises are oriented around South Balance,” says Church. “It makes it easier to translate concepts and apply them, not just to the lesson but also to everyone’s personal [work] experiences.”

In his special projects class, Church is gaining hands-on experience setting up and testing firewalls.

“I’ve been on work calls and projects where we set up firewalls and test networks,” he says. “On the phone, I cannot see those packages, and I don’t have access to them. But in this class, I’m able to see it a bit from the other side. I have instructions telling me what to do step by step.”

Church also believes that the online structure, which includes four live teaching sessions each semester, is an asset when it comes to learning how to start a career in cybersecurity.

“In the IT world, we’re all about being geographically diverse, whether it be working with different offices or different vendors,” Church says. “[The online classes are] a natural extension of what you do at work and at your daytime job.”

Church is on track to finish the program in 2021, but he could complete it earlier if he accelerates. He may then apply for a new role within the company, building awareness and compliance programs in cybersecurity. “Once I have this degree and those letters behind my name, I’ll be ready for whatever comes next,” Church says.

Forging New Career Opportunities in Cybersecurity

The online MPS in Cybersecurity Management program offered by the Tulane School of Professional Advancement helps working professionals develop the skills they need to build a career in cybersecurity. Students can learn from current industry professionals how to tackle real-world challenges with IT solutions, taking courses in enterprise architecture, IT governance and policy, and security and cyberthreats. They can also choose from concentrations such as homeland security and emergency operations to construct a program that best suits their career goals.

Learn more about what the online MPS in Cybersecurity Management program has to offer, and start building your career in cybersecurity today.