Cyber Forensics and Security alumna finds opportunity in the unexpected

For Marshall University alumna Lakan Sheets, a future in cybersecurity began with a simple conversation and a willingness to embrace the unknown.

A first-generation college graduate from Bluefield, West Virginia, Sheets earned her master’s degree in Cyber Forensics and Security after an unconventional path that began with plans to pursue a healthcare career. Today, she serves as assistant director of operations for Marshall University’s Institute for Cyber Security, teaches as an adjunct instructor, and is pursuing a doctorate in healthcare cybersecurity.

Sheets credits mentors, persistence, and a willingness to step outside her comfort zone for helping her discover a career she never expected.

“Do not count yourself out of the future just because you do not fully understand it yet,” Sheets said. “Ask questions, find mentors, and do not wait until you feel perfectly ready to step into opportunities that matter to you.”

Read the full story to learn how a chance encounter, determination, and the Cyber Forensics and Security program helped Sheets find her path.