Nora Bollinger prefers to play defense. Not on an open-air field or court, but on the computer networks that have fascinated her since childhood.
As a sophomore in the new bachelor of science in cyber security degree program, Bollinger is excited to work toward a career protecting these systems from attacks as part of what industry insiders call the blue team.
Nora Bollinger is among the first students to pursue a bachelor’s degree in cyber security at UToledo.
“You know how there’s penetration testing on the red team, where you attack the network to figure out its vulnerabilities?” she said. “I like building the defense a little bit more. I like figuring out the machinations of what’s going on and how to stop it.”
Bollinger is among the first students to pursue an undergraduate cyber security degree at The University of Toledo’s College of Engineering. Launched in fall 2024, the degree program aims to meet a rapidly growing demand for cyber security professionals who are trained to counter threats against computer networks and the valuable information stored within them in industries like finance, healthcare, advanced manufacturing, national security, smart infrastructure and more.
The Information System Security Certification Consortium estimated a 3.4 million global shortage of cybersecurity professionals in its workforce study in 2022. Meanwhile, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics categorizes the job outlook for information security specialists as growing much faster than the average, with the number of jobs in the United States expected to grow by more than a third between 2023 and 2033.
“Cyber security professionals are critical to protecting consumer data and maintaining the computer systems that run banks, businesses, hospitals, schools and more,” said Dr. Weiqing Sun, professor and director of cyber security programs in the College of Engineering. “Our undergraduate students will be equipped for positions in a wide variety of industries and to adapt throughout their careers to the constantly evolving systems and threats they will experience in the field.”
The new undergraduate program joins a master’s program launched in fall 2021, which prepares students for more advanced roles in the industry as well as doctorate programs. Undergraduate cyber security students can apply for early admission into the master’s program, accelerating their path to a graduate degree.
UToledo’s College of Engineering made an early impression on Bollinger, who recalls a memorable elementary school field trip through Wildwood Environmental Academy.
“I remember being really amazed by all the glass in the Nitschke Hall,” she said. “I had no idea I’d actually be a student here in the future.”
Her long-standing interest in computers and technology led her to enroll in the bachelor of science in information technology degree program, she said. But early on her academic advisor and others in the engineering college piqued her interest with promises of a soon-to-launch cyber security program.
“I signed myself up as soon as I could,” Bollinger said. “I’ve always been really big on operational security and privacy, so I think cyber security is a good path for me.”
The program introduces several hands-on and project-based courses specific to cyber security while encompassing other existing courses in areas like computer science. Engagement with industry partners is also key to the new program, ranging from guest speakers to experiential learning opportunities through the college’s integrated cooperative education program — one of just eight in the country.
Bollinger, who is just beginning to explore her co-op opportunities as a sophomore, names a favorite course so far in Digital Forensics, exploring the procedures and techniques used to identify, extract, validate, document and preserve electronic evidence. Its interactive format is a good fit for a student who used to enjoy herself by learning command lines and tinkering with operating systems like Windows and Linux well before she began to learn them more formally through the College of Engineering.
“Digital Forensics is very hands-on,” Bollinger said. “The instructor introduces the material, and then the whole learning process is you exploring and trying to figure things out. Whenever I get to actually play around with things, I love that.”
