{"id":10182,"date":"2026-05-07T07:36:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T14:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/?p=10182"},"modified":"2026-05-04T09:29:24","modified_gmt":"2026-05-04T16:29:24","slug":"student-spotlight-sean-hodgson","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/2026\/05\/07\/student-spotlight-sean-hodgson\/","title":{"rendered":"Student Spotlight: Sean Hodgson"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"breadcrumbs\" typeof=\"BreadcrumbList\" vocab=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/\">\r\n\t<!-- Breadcrumb NavXT 7.2.0 -->\n<span property=\"itemListElement\" typeof=\"ListItem\"><a property=\"item\" typeof=\"WebPage\" title=\"Go to Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture.\" href=\"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/\" class=\"main-home\" ><span property=\"name\">Voiland College<\/span><\/a><meta property=\"position\" content=\"1\"><\/span><span property=\"itemListElement\" typeof=\"ListItem\"><a property=\"item\" typeof=\"WebPage\" title=\"Go to Voiland College Student Success.\" href=\"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\" class=\"home\" aria-current=\"page\"><span property=\"name\">Voiland College Student Success<\/span><\/a><meta property=\"position\" content=\"2\"><\/span><\/div><header class=\"wsu-article-header \">\r\n\t<h1 class=\"wsu-article-header__title\">\r\n\t\tStudent Spotlight: <br>Sean Hodgson\t<\/h1>\r\n\t\t<\/header>\r\n\n\n\n<p>What makes Washington State University&#8217;s Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture stand out from the crowd for those looking to get a degree?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We ask cybersecurity major Sean Hodgson for his thoughts on what makes WSU such a special place. <\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\" wsu-overlap wsu-spacing-after--xxmedium\">\r\n\t<div class=\"wsu-overlap__container\">\r\n\t\t\n<div class=\" wsu-overlap__column  wsu-overlap--surface-column\">\r\n    <div class=\"wsu-overlap__column-inner\">\r\n        \n<div class=\"wp-block-image  wsu-image--style-framed\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"792\" height=\"937\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/DSC05450-scaled-e1777057953273-792x937.jpg\" alt=\"Sean Hodgson.\" class=\"wp-image-10183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/DSC05450-scaled-e1777057953273-792x937.jpg 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/DSC05450-scaled-e1777057953273-396x468.jpg 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/DSC05450-scaled-e1777057953273-768x909.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/DSC05450-scaled-e1777057953273-167x198.jpg 167w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/DSC05450-scaled-e1777057953273.jpg 1011w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n<div class=\" wsu-overlap__column  wsu-overlap--surface-column wsu-overlap--overlap-xxmedium\">\r\n    <div class=\"wsu-overlap__column-inner\">\r\n        \n\n<div style=\"height:216px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer wsu-hide--tablet\"><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"wsu-container wsu-dropshadow--medium wsu-color-background--white wsu-spacing-top--xmedium wsu-spacing-padding-right--xmedium wsu-spacing-padding-left--xmedium wsu-spacing-bottom--sxxsmall\" >\r\n    \n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Major:&nbsp;<\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/degrees.wsu.edu\/degree\/cybersecurity\/\">Cybersecurity<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Expected Date of Graduation:<\/strong>&nbsp;May 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>High School:<\/strong>&nbsp;Northwest Christian High School<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Hometown: <\/strong>Spokane, WA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<\/div>\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n\t<\/div> \r\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading  wsu-font-size--large\">What made you decide to attend Washington State University?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I chose WSU because I heard about the achievements of the <a href=\"https:\/\/csg.eecs.wsu.edu\/\">Cyber Security Group<\/a>, as well as the development of the new cybersecurity program at the time. I chose cybersecurity as my major because of my interest in technology and being curious about how systems can be manipulated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading  wsu-font-size--large\">What clubs are you involved in on campus?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I have been involved in the Cyber Security Group for three years and served as the club president during my final year. Through the club, I&#8217;ve had opportunities to compete in cybersecurity competitions and explore topics beyond the classroom. This involvement has strengthened both my technical skills and leadership abilities. As captain of CyberCougs Crimson, I led our team to compete in the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.wsu.edu\/news\/2026\/04\/30\/wsu-student-team-takes-first-at-national-cyber-competition\/\">national VICEROY competition in Virginia<\/a>, where we earned 1st place. This experience was one of the most rewarding parts of my time at WSU and helped me further develop my leadership and technical skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"792\" height=\"802\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/IMG_1179-scaled-e1777058725771-792x802.jpg\" alt=\"Five people sit around a table with laptops, drinks, and cables, collaborating during a live cybersecurity competition. Behind them, a large screen displays a leaderboard titled \u201cGlobal Guardian Viewer\u201d with team rankings and event details for \u201cStage 3: Falcon\u2019s Nest.\u201d\" class=\"wp-image-10185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/IMG_1179-scaled-e1777058725771-792x802.jpg 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/IMG_1179-scaled-e1777058725771-396x401.jpg 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/IMG_1179-scaled-e1777058725771-768x778.jpg 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/IMG_1179-scaled-e1777058725771-1516x1536.jpg 1516w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/IMG_1179-scaled-e1777058725771-195x198.jpg 195w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/IMG_1179-scaled-e1777058725771.jpg 1888w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sean Hodgson (standing on the left) and his team at the National VICEROY Cyber Competition in Virginia.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading  wsu-font-size--large\">Have you participated in any internships?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Last summer, I interned with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.afrl.af.mil\/\">Air Force Research Laboratories&#8217; Cyber Exercise and Warfare group<\/a>, where I helped execute cyber warfare training exercises for US and NATO allies. Running these exercises gave me valuable insight into real world cybersecurity operations and strengthened my problem solving and technical abilities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During the summer of 2024, I was a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.viceroyscholars.org\/\">VICEROY MAVEN intern<\/a> in Rome, NY where I learned the fundamentals of research and cybersecurity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"792\" height=\"594\" src=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/image-7-792x594.png\" alt=\"two people, one of them dressed in Army uniform, standing in front of a U.S. Army helicopter.\" class=\"wp-image-10196\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/image-7-792x594.png 792w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/image-7-396x297.png 396w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/image-7-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/image-7-1536x1152.png 1536w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/image-7-198x149.png 198w, https:\/\/wpcdn.web.wsu.edu\/wp-vcea\/uploads\/sites\/3466\/2026\/04\/image-7.png 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 792px) 100vw, 792px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading  wsu-font-size--large\">What do you want to do with your degree after you graduate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I have accepted a full time offer from <a href=\"https:\/\/selinc.com\/\">Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories<\/a>, where I will be working in vulnerability assessment. I have also been accepted into the Master&#8217;s in Information Security program at Georgia Tech, which I plan to pursue to further develop my expertise.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sean Hodgson is a cybersecurity major graduating in May 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14162,"featured_media":10183,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wsuwp_accessibility_report":null},"categories":[570],"tags":[605],"wsuwp_university_location":[332],"wsuwp_university_org":[501,443],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10182"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14162"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10182"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10182\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10211,"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10182\/revisions\/10211"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10183"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10182"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_location?post=10182"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_org","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vcea.wsu.edu\/student-success\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_org?post=10182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}