(MARSHALL, Texas) – Daniel Mann said his late grandfather was his prime motivation to go back to school, leading him to enroll in Texas State Technical College’s Cybersecurity program.
“He was always really adamant about me doing well in school, and I would argue that him being a boomer is a large part of why I got so good with technology,” Mann said. “He was not good with it. Anything that he wasn’t used to — computers, cellphones, smart TVs — I was always fixing stuff around the house.”
While Mann was exploring college options, his mother recommended TSTC’s Marshall campus to him, having graduated from the college’s Business Management Technology program. The positive impression made by the instructors and staff during his initial visit solidified his decision to enroll.
Besides his grandfather, Mann said TSTC Cybersecurity instructor Amy Hertel has been his biggest inspiration.
“Daniel’s curiosity fuels his drive to dive deeper into the world of cybersecurity — always exploring new technologies and asking the critical ‘why’ behind them,” Hertel said. “His time in class has been marked by personal and academic growth, and he’ll be a valuable asset to the field.”
Since his grandfather’s recent passing, Mann is more determined than ever to graduate from TSTC.
“He wanted me to get (my degree), so I’m getting it,” Mann said. “It’s not exactly easy, but everyone keeps reminding me that nothing worth doing is ever easy.”
According to onetonline.org, information security engineers earn a median salary of $100,720 in Texas, where the number of these jobs was projected to grow 20% between 2020 and 2030.
Cybersecurity is available at TSTC’s Fort Bend County, Harlingen, Marshall, North Texas, Waco and Williamson County campuses, as well as online. The program offers an Associate of Applied Science degree, two certificates of completion, and an advanced technical certificate in Digital Forensics Specialist.
Registration for TSTC’s summer and fall semesters is underway. For more information, go to tstc.edu.
