Spring 2023 Internship Experience at Southwest Key Programs

Southwest Key Programs is a non-profit organization that operates programs for children and families across the US. Founded in 1987 with a mission of opening doors to opportunity so individuals can achieve their dreams, SWK has been on the frontline of social justice, youth advocacy, immigration, and helping nurture the hearts and minds of children, youth, and families. Working as a cybersecurity analyst in the Digital Transformation division at SWK, my role is to ensure the safety and security of the organization's digital assets. And in my ongoing internship at Southwest Key Programs, I have gained priceless experience in the field of information security.

My day-to-day tasks involves monitoring network traffic and system logs, analyzing threat incidents, and implementing security controls. I'm working with a team of experienced security professionals who provide guidance and mentorship, and with them I was given the opportunity to participate in different projects to gain hands-on experience.

I'm also responsible for assisting Dev-Ops, Infrastructure, and Desktop Services with securing hybrid and Azure Cloud and O365 services to mitigate security findings from security audits and penetration testing. I helped to enhance cloud security by implementing best practices for federation services and advanced Identity protections in compliance with the NIST Framework and HIPAA standards. This included integrating SAAS applications with cloud IDP's and Active Directory.

Overall, my internship at Southwest Key Programs has been a valuable learning experience that provided me with a solid foundation in cybersecurity. I gained hands-on experience with various security tools and techniques, and I had the opportunity to work with a team of experienced professionals who provided guidance and mentorship. I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked with Southwest Key Programs, and I believe that the skills and knowledge I gained during my internship will serve me well in my future career as a cybersecurity professional.

Lastly, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention and recognize the sheer importance and colossal role that my coursework as part of my Master's in Business Analytics at the University of Texas at Dallas played in successfully delivering my projects. Additionally, I would like to sincerely thank my team/mentors Chirag Shah, Troy Hodson, MBA, Krishna Kumar, Bimal Mehta, Jayanth Jayaraman, Ibrahim Ikanovic, and Balaji Mani . for their perennial support and guidance, and for giving me the opportunity to not just learn and grow with the team, but also bond with them in a manner transcending the professional sphere. I plan to further continue this journey and strive towards a professional burgeoning that is both inclusive and sustainable, and in tandem with my SWK familia.

Also, a special thank you to Professor Gaurav Shekhar for all his guidance and support throughout the program.