WiCyS @ Oregon State University

We had an incredible club meeting this week where we had the opportunity to host Jordan Hankin from ORTSOC, who shared her journey and insights into working in a Security Operations Center (SOC). During the meeting, Jordan explained what a SOC is and how it plays a critical role in monitoring, detecting, and responding to cyber threats in real time. She also walked us through her career path, discussing how she got started in cybersecurity, the challenges she faced, and the experiences that helped her grow into her current role. As the Security Engineer/Architect at ORTSOC—a unique security operations center that trains students in real-world security operations through hands-on experience—Jordan provided valuable insight into what it takes to work in a SOC. One of her biggest takeaways for students aspiring to be in ORTSOC was to not be afraid to fail, as failure is a part of the learning process. She emphasized that growth often comes from trying, making mistakes, and trying again. Huge thank you to Jordan Hankin for taking the time to share her experiences with us. We really appreciate learning from professionals who are doing the work we hope to do one day!