Micah Evans, second year student at Gaston College in the Networking and Cyber Defense program, did not start out with cybersecurity as a clear goal. He began in general education, which ended up giving him a strong foundation that translated well into cyber defense. After taking a few classes, he realized he genuinely enjoyed the subject matter and decided to pursue it further.
One thing Micah appreciates most about cybersecurity is the number of pathways available. While he has explored interests like system administration and SOC analyst roles, he is still figuring out exactly where he wants to land and is taking time to explore his options.
Micah was also one of the first students to participate in the CyberSafe program, where he gained valuable outreach and interpersonal experience. He learned that technical skills matter, but the ability to explain complex ideas in a clear, simple way is just as important.
His advice to other students is straightforward. Take time to figure out what you are most interested in so you are not trying to learn everything at once.
That balance of technical growth, communication skills, and exploration is exactly what the Carolina Cyber Network is designed to support.