Catching up with Sam Johnson ’22, Computer Networking & Cybersecurity Alum

Landing a great job after college can feel like a daunting task—an achievable one, but daunting nonetheless. Hard work, networking, and persistence along the way are key, but sometimes you just might get lucky with an opportunity that presents itself at an unsuspecting time. Just ask Sam Johnson. The Class of 2022 Computer Networking & Cybersecurity alum recently completed his two-year contract with the Department of Defense (DoD), which he secured well before graduation as a DoD Scholarship recipient.

Now a lab manager at a base in California, he’s continued to excel in his technical management role and has received multiple On-the-Spot Awards within the command, and has been nominated for civilian of the quarter. We caught up with Sam Johnson to hear about his experience with the DoD and his life after college.

The DoD Scholarship is an honor to receive, but it also comes with commitments. What did you consider when you were offered the scholarship?

There are lots of commitments within the scholarship. For me, it came with more than I had originally anticipated after college: a move across the country, obtaining a clearance, and doing work I didn’t initially expect. It wasn’t until way down the line—months and months after I found out I won the scholarship—before I actually found out where I was going, what I was going to be doing, and who I was going to be working with.

Without getting into too much of what I do for the government, I can confidently say the direction of my career is working out for the best because I genuinely enjoy what I do. I will also say that I accepted this cybersecurity scholarship in college, but what I wound up doing was more engineering because, at the end of the day, it was what my branch required.

What advice would you give to students who are interested in the DoD Scholarship or want to follow in your footsteps?

Working world aside, the financial support from the scholarship was definitely a net positive in my life. Setting yourself up with as many avenues as possible for your future is extremely important and should not be shied away from—students should take every opportunity available to them.

That being said, my biggest bit of advice for students considering applying for the DoD Scholarship is to go for it—but be very mindful of what you want and what your end goals are. Do your research on the different groups and commands that may offer you positions at the other end of the scholarship. Be prepared to ask questions—ask for specifics, if you can. Ask yourself if what they’re presenting to you is something you want to do—long term or short term—and, if you’re not totally content with what you’re hearing or this isn’t want you want the next two years out of your college to be like, then be ready to walk away and know that there are other opportunities out there. Also, just because you apply doesn’t mean you have to accept it. There is even a point, if you receive it, that can say you’ve changed your mind, and that’s it. Stick to your guns, and trust your gut while making those thoughtful decisions.

Looking back, do you think your time at Champlain—either through your classes and your work with the Leahy Center—prepared you for the work you’re doing now?

Absolutely. Even if it’s not technically in cybersecurity, my job is still very technical, so all of those technical, foundational courses with computer architecture, networking especially, and cybersecurity skills all led to having a really good baseline of knowledge. That background made my current job much easier to grasp compared to some of my colleagues who didn’t have that experience.

But I think the biggest thing Champlain prepared me for was working with people, particularly within the government. People skills are instrumental for collaborating, compromising, and understanding how to address your superiors. Champlain drives us to be professionals through our classes, our InSight requirements, and advice from the Career Collaborative. Without them, I wouldn’t have this foundation to stand on and grow my career.

You touched on this a bit, but how does your overall experience at the DoD compare to your initial expectations?

It’s kind of a weird answer to the question, but it feels like I’d have to say it’s not what I expected—but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. When I took the scholarship, I expected to have a more cybersecurity-heavy role, but that’s not how it shook out. Looking back, I think that I could have taken some steps to make sure that happened, but what I’ve found with my government experience is that there’s been a lot more freedom than I expected and opportunities to find what you want to do. Because there are so many jobs, so many teams, so many projects, you’ll be able to find a niche that fits with what you want to do.

Getting there might take a little time and getting to know people, working your connections and the like, but it’s possible. Don’t worry if something doesn’t stick right away. Don’t stress if you don’t find the perfect fit right away. I haven’t yet, and that’s perfectly okay. Despite my expectations not exactly aligning with what the scholarship comes with, I really enjoy the career I’ve built so far out of the hand I was dealt. I turned something that at first I thought, “Man, this isn’t what I thought I was going to be doing,” into something that I do genuinely enjoy doing now.

What comes next for you? Do you plan on staying in the DoD?

I don’t know. My contract through the scholarship ended this past July, so I’m a “free man” technically, but I think this is probably the best spot to be in. I have options to stay with the government, seek out opportunities in the private sector, or to do anything I want to do, really. The world is my oyster per se, but right now I’m comfortable with this really strong and well established job, with people who know my work, and working with people who rely on me. So, to answer the question of am I going to stay? Maybe, maybe not. I don’t really know. I’m just kind of playing it by ear now, and trying to find that perfect fit.

In your opinion, where do you see the cybersecurity industry going in the next five years? Is there a vulnerability that we should be paying more attention to?

I think a common thing that we’re seeing in the industry a lot now—especially with world events—are cyber attacks. I think the industry is really catching onto that, and transitioning to a more defensive mindset. The industry is going to invest more time, effort, and money into groups and companies spearheading cyber defense. In the news everyday, we see never-ending threats out there—whether they’re state sponsored, from independent groups, or from rogue individual groups. Our industry needs nonstop innovation and advancement.

We can’t get comfortable. I mean, as we just saw recently with CrowdStrike, an absolute cornerstone of the security industry and one of the most reliable services, proved how vulnerable we can be, and to a disastrous effect. Mindful decisions about defense-oriented advancements are what we need to flourish and not be outpaced.

With cyber defense, we’re always going to be the reaction force, we’re always going to be responding to threats that arise. You can make your defense as best you can, but you never know when that next zero day is going to hit. We can’t get comfortable because everything’s subject to change. The attacker is always thinking, always planning, always plotting, finding the new best thing to get past the defenses that we’ve established. If we let ourselves get stagnant, comfortable, and lose that sense of innovation, we’re just opening ourselves up for attack and damage.