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Omar Osman, ’23, sees unlimited potential in the cybersecurity field. At ɫ����Ƶ, the Egyptian student is gaining an ideal mix of classroom work and on-the-job experience.

Omar, who is a computer science major and math minor, works as a student employee in Information Security. His job duties include analyzing emails and data to protect ɫ����Ƶ students and employees from virtual attacks.

“It’s one of the top fields in the world right now. Everything is built on technology,” he said. “Having all these experiences before I graduate builds my resume and builds my motivation toward my field.”

Despite being more than 5,000 miles from home, Omar easily adjusted to the Bridgewater campus, which he discovered while visiting a friend in America.

Omar stayed in the United States throughout the pandemic and became heavily involved in all ɫ����Ƶ offers. He has served as a tour guide, orientation leader, and resident assistant.

“I feel like this is my second home,” said Omar, whose success convinced his sister to also become a Bear. “When I came here, I didn’t know anyone. Everyone is so friendly and the resources on campus are really beneficial.”

It’s no surprise he has made so many connections across campus. Omar, who completed a cybersecurity mentorship through the Mass Cyber Center, takes advantage of opportunities, said Dave Marion, ’06, G’13, director of information security at ɫ����Ƶ.

“He brings a really positive attitude to the work,” Marion said. “He’s really digging in and trying to get to the root cause for some of these (security) alerts.”

Omar enjoys the challenge of cybersecurity and appreciates the mentorship he receives from IT staff.

“It’s a pretty cool job,” he said. “It has a lot of thinking and creativity.”

Omar hopes to continue his ɫ����Ƶ education through graduate studies in cybersecurity.

“The campus community is a safer place as a result of his efforts,” Marion said.

Do you have a ɫ����Ƶ story you'd like to share? Email stories@bridgew.edu.