Part-Time Alum Lands Full-Time Job at Accenture

Roland Davies (MSIT '20) reflects on his experience in Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) program and how it prepared him for his new cloud security role.

Roland Davies (MSIT '20) spent two years as a cloud engineer in a contract position for Leidos Health, but he knew he wanted more access to the IT space. He didn't want to give up the job he had, so he turned to Northwestern Engineering's Master of Science in Information Technology (MSIT) part-time program option.

That decision paid off.

Davies started a full-time position as a security consultant at Accenture earlier this month. At Accenture, he will help develop and deliver security solutions to resolve privacy and security concerns from businesses moving their operations into the cloud. He also will be able to continue learning new skills focused on cloud security infrastructure. 

Davies credits MSIT with the knowledge and network needed to get the job and stand out in the new role. 

"Being a part of part-time MSIT has not just shaped my mind intellectually, it's given me an avenue to meet great people and be able to work with great minds," Davies said.

The part-time option of the MSIT program is designed to give working professionals the opportunity to take classes on Saturday and earn a degree from Northwestern University without interrupting their careers. Part-time students take classes together with full-time MSIT students and form a unique cohort of individuals with a wide range of education, experiences, and industry backgrounds. 

It was that diverse network of classmates and professors that Davies said he benefited from the most. He was also greatly impacted by Cybersecurity Leadership, a course taught by adjunct lecturer and MSIT Industry Advisory Board member Todd Fitzgerald that provided a unique perspective on global technological attacks and security breaches that have become more rampant in recent years. The course gave Davies an inside look at leading an information security program from the perspective of a chief information security officer. 

"If someone has an area of weakness and a desire to improve, MSIT helps them build it into a strength," Davies said. "MSIT will give you more insight to the current global changes in the world and the impact of information technology. 

"The program staff was also very helpful and always willing to assist with any questions so I could focus on my studies." 

To learn more about the MSIT community and how it helps students, visit the MSIT Student Support page.

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