From music to cybersecurity, Nick Ford is making an impact
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University is filled with opportunities for exploring interests and finding support for student success. Just ask Nick Ford, who found his path in cybersecurity through hard work, faculty and staff support, and fellow students who help drive his success.
Initially, Ford, who plays the guitar, came to Western to study music. “Western’s music program was one of the best, so I decided to go for it. Being here really opened my eyes to other possibilities and I just fell in love with this university,” says Ford, who ultimately went on to complete an associate’s degree in cybersecurity from Washtenaw Community College before returning to Western ready to tackle the Bachelor of Science degree in cybersecurity.
“I have a strong interest in auditing and criminal justice, so cybersecurity fills that prerequisite,” says Ford. “Not only is it the bleeding edge of technology but you get to make huge impacts by defending critical infrastructure from the most advanced threat actors. There is a never-ending chain of tools and technologies you get to learn and utilize; however, this never-ending learning is also challenging.”
Ford has embraced these challenges in his academic pursuits and found support along the way.
“My best academic experience was being able to program on real equipment in CS 2230 (Computer Organization and Assembly Language),” says Ford about the hands-on work he experienced in the course. “We worked on microcontroller boards and delved deep into the components of a computer and how they work. What made this class so great was our instructor, Colin MacCreery, because of his ability to explain complicated computer concepts in a concise and straightforward way.”
And he credits the cybersecurity program academic advisor, Stevie Prellwitz, with helping him stay on track to graduation. “Stevie has been a lot of help to me figuring out courses to take and where to find academic resources.”
Serving as the marketing chair for the Bronco Cybersecurity Club, Ford is invested in the success of the student organization. He also develops his own professional skills and technical knowledge by interacting with the many speakers and workshops the group hosts.
“Being part of the club has had a huge impact on my experience at 51. The members and guests have introduced me to many opportunities and supported me throughout my journey.”
Ford is also busy working as a student LAN (local area network) technician at 51 where he sets up workstations, writes scripts to streamline IT management functions, updates and backs up servers, and supports and troubleshoots staff technology.
He also augments his academic work with certifications, including the U.S. Department of Defense Cyber Sentinel Challenge and ISC2 Candidates credentials.
Even as he works so hard toward launching his own career, and protecting computers from bad actors, Ford is encouraging future cybersecurity students by introducing children to his passion for the field.
In July 2024, Ford worked as a 5th and 6th grade camp assistant for the Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation (MCWT), held at the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. He assisted students with block style programming and presented difficult programming concepts to encourage a love of technology fields.
We helped students become confident with technology and feel empowered to make autonomous decisions,” says Ford.
Previously, he assisted local Girl Scout troop members while they earned their cybersecurity badge at a Girls Rock IT event hosted by The Michigan Council of Women in Technology.
As he secures his future, Ford would like to continue learning the skills required to get into pentesting, or penetration testing, an area of cybersecurity where experts attempt to find and exploit vulnerabilities in a computer system.
“I would love to work for a governmental agency one day or within a cybersecurity role that has a positive impact on people’s lives," says Ford. "Cybersecurity is an amazing field that you will never get bored of. It has a bit of a learning curve but the pay off when you see the impact you can make and the things you can create makes it all worth it.”
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