James Glennon ’12, ‘20G became interested in cybersecurity as an undergraduate at UNH, where two courses for his IT minor inspired his career trajectory. After earning his bachelor’s degree in business administration, he began his career at Bottomline Technologies, which provides collaborative payment, invoice, and document automation solutions to corporations, financial institutions and banks worldwide. While maintaining his full-time job, Glennon decided to continue his education in the high-demand cybersecurity field through UNH’s fully online Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Risk Management (CPRM). We caught up with him to hear more about his background and how the CPRM is bringing new knowledge to his role as an information security analyst.
What sparked your interest in the field of cybersecurity?
As an undergraduate at UNH, I took 2 courses for my IT minor during my senior year in the spring of 2012—Computer Security and Technology, Crime & Society, which I really enjoyed. Funny enough, several years ago my grandmother was reading an article in the Boston Globe about the growing need and career opportunities in cybersecurity; and that conversation reignited my interest to a point where I began researching and looking for ways to enter the field.
Why did you choose the CPRM program at UNH?
I have obtained two industry certifications since beginning my cybersecurity career in June 2017, and I was looking for another challenge outside of work to continue learning and expanding my skill set. The CPRM program at UNH stood out with its comprehensive set of courses, affordability and flexibility. The fact that the program was online was very appealing, as was the ability to learn and complete assignments at my own pace.
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How does what you’ve learned in the CPRM program apply to your career?
I’ve been able to take what I’ve learned and immediately apply the knowledge and experiences from the CPRM program to my current position. I’ve started to challenge the status quo and look for areas of improvement within the cybersecurity team and in how security integrates with the organization as a whole.
What has been the most rewarding part of your UNH experience so far?
The most rewarding part of the CPRM program to me was the confidence I received from all the challenging assignments and presentations, particularly the capstone. The capstone took me to new heights as a student and left me with great confidence in myself and my abilities to contribute to the cybersecurity field going forward. The program additionally made me a better problem solver, critical thinker and communicator, skills which can be used in any job that I’ll end up in throughout my career.
What are your hopes for after graduation?
Governance, Risk and Compliance are the areas I’d like to hone in on as I continue my career in cybersecurity. I’d really enjoy the ability to apply what I learned in the CPRM program to augment an existing or develop a brand-new cybersecurity risk program.
Any other thoughts you’d like to share?
I’d highly recommend the CPRM program to anyone interested in cybersecurity, no matter what your background may be. You don’t necessarily need experience in the field to apply either—an innate curiosity and desire to learn will get you a great deal of this program. I’m happy to discuss further with anyone that has questions so do not hesitate to reach out!
