Cybersecurity Program Helped Honors Student Land Competitive Position in U.S. Army

Honors student Kasey Litchford ’22, a Cybersecurity major with three minors in Computer Science, Military Science, and Digital Forensics, will be commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s cyber branch this fall. A member of the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, Litchford will work as a systems administrator for Raytheon BBN Technologies in Newport, R.I., until he begins his career with the Army.  

Competitive Training: “In exchange for ROTC paying for tuition for four years, I owe them eight years of service via active duty or National Guard Reserves. I decided to compete for active duty. I got cyber, so I get to apply my degree in the cyber branch. Because it’s a newer branch, cyber can be very competitive. RWU prepared me to compete and get that slot for cyber. I attribute it to the program Doug White has cultivated, as well as some of the extracurricular groups we have on campus. I think that without participating in those, I wouldn’t have had the skillset that the Army looks for, and I would have gotten a different branch.” 

Industry Experience: “I got an internship in spring 2020 to work for the Newport branch of Raytheon BBN Technologies. I’ve been working there with an alum of the Cybersecurity program here at RWU for the past two years. The company has hired me part-time until I go to the military. I’m a system administrator and work with a team of six to manage networks, making sure that users can perform their daily duties properly. If something’s not working or any configuration needs to change or be secured further, my team works on that.”  

Learning from Cybersecurity Experts: “The Cybersecurity program has some really stellar professors. The head of the program, Doug White, tells you stories as a prospective student that really hook you on cyber. They are professors who have had real-world experiences, which aids when they teach you. You know that you’re getting real-world experience when you’re being taught.”  

Litchford, who has served as president of the Cybersecurity and Intel Club, is from Ashland, Mass. 

Every May, as Commencement nears, RWU spotlights members of the graduating class. Suggestions are welcome. Email: stories@rwu.edu