Testimonials

VIST Students and Alumni Testimonials

Learn what students and alumni are saying about their experience at Virginia Institute of Science & Technology (VIST) and how the education impacted their career trajectories.

	Anthony Sandoval MSCIA, Spring 2018 “I have been a Senior I.T. Engineer for more than 15 years. When I was looking for a Cybersecurity program to pursue my master’s degree, I compared all Master of Cybersecurity programs offered by the universities in the DMV area, and I finally selected Virginia Institute of Science & Technology (VIST). I chose VIST’s MSCIA program because VIST has one of the most qualified faculty in Northern Virginia. The professors are PhDs who are well-recognized experts in the Cybersecurity and Information Assurance fields. In addition, in my opinion, the curriculum of the MSCIA program is much better than other cybersecurity programs in the DMV area. I know that I made the right decision.”
	John M. Benson III MSCIA, Winter 2018 “I chose VIST for many reasons.  One reason is that life is too short and their accelerated Masters Program was exactly what I needed.  I also liked that it was not an online program.  The Professors had so much too offer, even to Cybersecurity Professional like myself.  The school offers a great blend of hands on practical experience, as well as very interactive lectures.  I have 32 years of IT Experience, with 18 of those years in Cybersecurity and every time I entered the school I learned something new.  This Master Degree will serve as a great stepping stone towards my next target, a Doctorate.”
	Randy Lam MSCIA, Fall 2018 “I completed my bachelor’s degree program in computer science at the Institute of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (UIUC) in 2015. UIUC’s C.S. program is ranked nationally as 7th best in cybersecurity. However, I did not pursue my graduate program at UIUC; instead, I came to Virginia Institute of Science & Technology to study Cybersecurity and Information Assurance for my master’s program. Many of my friends and classmates asked me, “Why don’t you continue your graduate program at UIUC? How come you chose VIST – a new small private institute?” I chose VIST because its MSCIA program is one of the best cybersecurity programs compared with other universities. Also, VIST has 25+ faculty members who are all experts in the field with 15+ years of experience in Cybersecurity. VIST’s MSCIA program provides not only high quality master-level education but also trains its students with strong hands-on skills. All students that graduate from VIST’s MSCIA program must also succeed to have at least two top-level cybersecurity-related professional certifications, such as Security+. CEH, CISSP, etc.”
	Nicole Brown MSCIA, Winter 2018 “I received my B.S. of Information System Management and Finance from Brown Institute. When I pursued my graduate study, I selected VIST for my Master’s Program in Cybersecurity.  For me, the most valuable fact about VIST’s MSCIA program was the access to professors who are leaders within the Cybersecurity industry. I also valued being a part of a strong student network of experienced I.T. professionals. A Masters of Cybersecurity from VIST granted me unparalleled access and open doors for anything I wanted to pursue in the world of cybersecurity in the USA.”
	Denial May MSCIA, Teaching Assistant “I received my B.S. of Computer Science from Virginia Tech and Master of Computer Forensics from George Mason Institute. I was a teaching assistant at Virginia Institute of Science & Technology (VIST) from Spring 2017 to Winter 2018. I found out that VIST’s MSCIA program is one of the best programs in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance in this area. As a T.A., I not only assisted MSCIA students but also learn a lot about Cybersecurity technology from professors who are experts in this field. VIST’s MSCIA program differs from most other universities because they not only teach theories and principles of Cybersecurity but also train students with cutting-edge technology and hands-on skills. My degrees and most importantly, my Teaching Assistant experience at VIST, helped me to assure a job as a Cybersecurity Specialist in the U.S. Executive Office of President (EOP).”
	Abiy Getachew MSCIA, Spring 2018 “I received my B.S. of Computer Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology and Master Degree in Telecommunication from Boston Institute. I selected VIST for my Master Program in Cybersecurity because I found welcoming classmates and engaging faculty. Most of all, the MSCIA program at VIST benefited my career because I was able to put into practice all that I learned in the classroom. Along with that, the feeling of accomplishment and personal satisfaction, I could not have been more pleased with my choice!”

More testimonials will be published soon.

Also, please see our Faculty Testimonials.

If you are interested in studying at Virginia Institute of Science & Technology (VIST), please contact the Admission Office via email: admission@vist.edu.