"What I Wish I Knew" (From Class of 2026)
Congratulations to our cybersecurity and computer science students in the Class of 2026! We wish you the very best of luck in your future endeavors!
- [Vianney Laura Santos Bravo, Class of 2026, Cybersecurity major] "I wish I had understood earlier that asking for help is not a weakness. College can feel overwhelming, especially when balancing school, work, family, and personal challenges, but using campus resources, talking to professors, and connecting with classmates can make a huge difference. Speaking up about how you feel is a strength that not everyone has. Please never feel bad about contacting the Dean’s Office; they are always willing to help. Another lesson I learned is that opportunities come from applying even when you do not feel “ready.” Internships, jobs, and networking can be intimidating, but growth happens by trying. Confidence is built through experience, not before it."
- [Vanessa Reino, Class of 2026, Computer Science major] "I wish I knew how to start side projects as soon as possible; I wish I knew that there are so many roles that exist other than software engineers; I wish I knew that there are so many pathways after graduating, such as master programs."
- [Stalin Ochoa, Class of 2026, Cybersecurity major] "One thing I wish I knew in college is that professors and advisors can be some of the greatest supporters in your academic journey. The professors at Rider truly care about your success. At the beginning of my career at Rider, I was struggling, and I had to drop out for a semester. When I decided to come back, my advisor, Dr. Jay, was amazing. He walked me through everything and showed me that he truly cared about me. I was not just a number to him. Dr. Jay was there from the beginning until the very last step of my career, and I am very thankful to have had him as my advisor. I wish I had known earlier that the professors and advisors here at Rider really care about their students and want them to succeed."
- [Kevin Hubbard, Class of 2026, Cybersecurity major] "One thing that greatly helped me in all my classes was understanding how a website or web application works. There are a bunch of web framework "stacks" like MEAN/MERN/LAMP and while you don't need to know them all but understanding how just one stack works from top to bottom meaning how the data flows and applications work together to read that data makes understanding ideas and concepts in all my classes a little easier. The stack involves parts of every single class that I had for my Computer Science/Cyber Security track. The M is for MYSQL or MongoDB which is your database and where a lot of user data is stored (in various formats), the E is for express and is a "server" for the routes of web application, A/R is for angular and react which are front end frameworks that let you build the user interface for your application and lastly N is for Node.js which is the runtime environment for your application. There are many stacks (LAMP = Linux Apache MySql PHP) with different technologies but completely understanding how the stack works makes concepts in class much more tangible and not abstract ideas."
- [Jeremy Burrell, Class of 2026, Cybersecurity major] "Throughout my time here, I have learned the best way to be successful is to try to get ahead early and take each day for what it is. Not to stress too much about future assignments, quizzes, etc., but to focus on what you can do right there and then. For internships and job searching, I suggest building your network from as early as freshman year. Building cyber-related projects and doing your best to get any sort of job that is even remotely technical, so you can stand out."
- [Logan Carroll, Class of 2026, Computer Science major] "As a graduating student, I wish I knew how important it is too utilize the resources provided to you, most importantly the people around you. My first few years at Rider I would be too afraid to speak up for myself. It is easy to get overwhelmed or stressed out in this environment, and this can cause you to feel alone at times. I have never had a bad experience asking a professor or another student for help at Rider, and my peers have elevated my confidence in many ways."
- [Evan Cho, Class of 2026, Computer Science and Cybersecurity major] "Learning to be on your own and experiencing who you truly are as a person is something that I wish I had experienced a lot earlier.When I first came to Rider University, I was very scared and shy. I did not think I was going to make friends, nor did I believe that college life was going to suit me. However, eventually, I was able to experience what being alone was like and eventually began to enjoy it. I found out a lot about myself and who I really am as a person and as a student. Since then, I am a senior about to graduate with a future job in hand. To be honest, I always think to myself, what kind of person would I have been if I ended up not coming to Rider or if I dropped out? Going back to the main question, of what I wish I knew, I wish that I hadn't been so scared to come to Rider, knowing how much it would have changed my life."
- [Moira Geiger, Class of 2026, Computer Science major] "Always get the work done early. Things pile up quickly during busy seasons; Be persistent with the internship hunt. I think I submitted upwards of 200+ applications for summer internships and it can definitely feel defeating. However, just remember that you are one step closer to getting the job you want, as I was; Get involved outside of the classroom. Just getting the grades is not enough, it is the outside of classroom experiences that are just as important."
- [Jordyn Bostick, Class of 2026, Cybersecurity major] "LinkedIn should be made freshman year, start connecting, keeping an eye on industry/companies, reach out to current professionals or those doing research you find interesting. It'll feel weird at first but, you'll be putting your name out there and gaining visibility; "Apply anyways, don't count yourself out". Rejects are interview practice, not failure!! Focus on entry level IT/State Police is a great recommendation for internship opportunities."
- [Christina Rehana Alli, Class of 2026, Cybersecurity major] "Get involved in at least one thing outside your major. It opens doors, builds confidence, and helps you discover what you actually enjoy. I learned that you don’t have to know everything at all times. I wish I had known earlier that it’s okay to start small, ask questions, and let curiosity guide you even if its not what you expect."
Student Milestones Celebrations
- [May, 2026] Congratulations to Frank Cihon for his admission to the Masters in Information Systems program at NJIT.
- [May, 2026] Congratulations to Tanmay Agarwal and Phan Nugyen for having been awarded the MacMillan Summer Fellowship by the college to support their research endeavors during the summer.
- [April, 2026] Congratulations to Jordyn Bostick for successfully passing the CompTIA Security+ certification exam this week! Jordyn will also attending John Jay College of Criminal Justice this fall to get her Masters Science in Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity. Best wishes to her new journey!
- [April, 2026] Congratulations to Ryan Convey for successfully passing the CompTIA Security+ certification exam! Want to know more about how to prepare this exam? Please check out Ryan's Takeaway: How to Prepare for the CompTIA Security+ Certificate Exam?
- [April, 2026] Congratulations to Samantha Betancourt! She will join Cisco this summer as an Information Security Engineer I Intern in Research Triangle Park, NC.
- [April, 2026] Congratulations to Vanessa Reino, one of our Cybersecurity students, has accepted an offer from Bloomberg to work as an ETS Intern this summer.
- [April, 2026] Congratulations to Dayro Culcay-Chacha, one of our students from CSC 240 Operating Systems class, has accepted an offer from Bloomberg to work as an ETS Intern this summer.
- [March, 2026], Congratulations to Moira Geiger on her admission to the M.S. Program in Computing at Villanova University with a full graduate assistantship that covers all tuition and provides a stipend. Moira is currently a senior majoring in Computer Science and minoring in Cybersecurity. She has also earned “Best Research Project” recognition in multiple classes for her outstanding research work.
- [March, 2026], Congratulations to Will Quash securing a full-time position with Johnson & Johnson in its Technology Leadership Development Program (TLDP) in Cybersecurity, a highly competitive achievement. Will is currentlya senior majoring in Cybersecurity. One of his research projects in CYB 260 was recognized as “Best Research Project” in the class.
- [Jan, 2026], Congratulations to Samantha Betancourt, from our CYB 260 class, will start her 3rd tech-related internship with the Information Security Unit team at the New Jersey Courts as a Cybersecurity Engineering Intern. She will be participating in this internship during the Spring semester!
You are always welcome to share your milestone stories with us!