10/13/2026
“I completed my Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance with WGU after navigating a life-changing setback that reshaped my path.
“In late 2023, I was working on the New York State help desk and already pursuing my Master of Science in Information Technology Management from WGU, when I was seriously injured in a crash caused by a USB-hacked Kia SUV fleeing police. I was left unconscious. The impact left me unable to return to work.
“My employment contract was terminated during my recovery. Instead of taking a break, I continued forward with studying and ultimately completed my degree in Information Technology Management from WGU while healing.
“I later re-entered the workforce as a Privileged Access Management (PAM) analyst, where I gained hands-on experience with CyberArk for securing privileged access and expanded into identity governance through SailPoint. That experience reignited and reshaped my direction.
“What started as a setback became the foundation for something greater. I returned to WGU to pursue my Master of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, building on both my technical experience and a deeply personal understanding of risk, security, and resilience.
“Earning this degree represents more than academic achievement. It represents perseverance through uncertainty, growth through adversity, and a commitment to building a career focused on protecting systems, identities, and the people behind them.”
This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we’re celebrating professionals like Christina J., whose personal experience with unexpected risk has shaped her path into cybersecurity, where she now works to protect the systems we rely on every day.
