November 23, 2020

Steven Coll

Name
Steven Coll

Hometown
Wildwood, MO

Why did you choose to attend Mizzou for the IT program?
I started out at Mizzou as a business major. It became apparent that I didn’t enjoy the material that much and I looked for switching and came upon the IT program, which seemed fun since I’ve always loved working with computer related things.

Tell us about your educational experiences.
I enjoyed all of my IT courses but I enjoyed the cybersecurity based courses the most! These include Digital Forensics, Advanced Cyber Security, and Computer System Administration, taught by Ronny Bazan-Antequera. It was nice having the choice between online and in-person classes and also having many different paths in the IT program to choose from! I also have had a lot of fun this semester doing research with Antequera on Docker Containers. Just this week my capstone team (Andy Schuster, Nadia Guidry, and Mike Schmitt) and I set up a Capture the Flag website utilizing Docker Containers and had members of the Cyber Tigers – Cyber Security Organization take part to complete the challenges and win prizes!

Where do you hope to work after graduation? How did the IT program prepare you?
I hope to work in cybersecurity or system administration for a company. The IT program taught me everything: I went from zero knowledge on the courses subjects to being very confident in my IT abilities!

Did you have an internship or other opportunities during your time at Mizzou?
Last year I worked for MBS Textbook Exchange in Columbia as a Web Design intern. It was fun learning how a company functions! And right now I work as a PLA for Advanced Cyber Security.

Would you recommend the IT program and if so, what would you tell prospective students about the program?
I recommend the program 100% if you are interested in programming, network security, film and everything related! All of the professors are very skilled and engaging, and the students are a lot of fun. If you’re interested in tech at all, don’t be afraid. The IT program at Mizzou will be fun for everyone and helps with all resources you need.