University of Richmond Boot Camps

I went into this boot camp wanting to transition my career from GIS Analyst to GIS Developer. The skills I learned in this program helped to "connect the dots" for things I had tried to learn independently, and provided me with a solid foundation for that career path and a way forward to continue learning about development tools specific to my industry. To succeed in this program, you must be curious, diligent, and persistent. It is not easy and will require a lot of time and mental energy investment. However, if you put in the work and make the most of the resources that the course offers, you will not be disappointed.  

This boot camp was absolutely incredible, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in the field. I went from having a little bit of knowledge to feeling like an expert in the subject matter in no time, and found myself thinking about cybersecurity every single day. I even ended up referring my coworker to enroll in this course and he is enjoying it as well. The teaching staff is extremely knowledgable and patient and they explain things deeply, making sure everyone comprehends the content before moving on.

Hello, my name is Justin Wilson and I am currently enrolled in the University of Richmond Cybersecurity Bootcamp for the spring session of 2022 (Feb-Aug). My experience with the class has been a positive one overall. I, like many of my classmates would probably agree, have experienced a full range of emotions these last 6 months. The course has been insightful, interesting, challenging, and at some points difficult and frustrating. Not to discourage any potential students, receiving the amount of information covered in such a short time is not an easy task, but I genuinely believe that thats why its aptly named a bootcamp. While going through it, there was/ will be times of self doubt, and frustration at understanding concepts, but the acknowledgment in retrospect that you've completed this fast paced course only leaves you with gratitude, and the appreciation of knowing what can be achieved with hard work. Although I have not yet graduated, I have heard enough success stories of strangers and friends having their professional lives and careers changed by IT bootcamps. The course is geared toward industry specific knowledge that employers are looking for in employees, and it's no surprise so many students get hired after attending. I believe you will get out what you put into the course. Those willing to study the student guides that accompany every class session, and rewatch the zoom videos of class will have a strong understanding of the concepts and be ready for real world situations. Overall I would recommend the course to anyone looking to break into the IT field, or looking for a career change and see Cyber Security as an interesting new avenue. I currently work as a CDL driver working 12 hr shifts, 5 days a week, and take the course in the evenings. I believe if I'm capable of taking the class and being successful, anyone with a basic understanding of computers and some ambition will do fine. 

Hi,

I’m a recent graduate of University of Richmond’s Cyber bootcamp (April 2022).
Having tried another Cyber program (2 year), I decided a shorter term would allow me to get employed expeditiously. I found the UR program online and was already familiar with the school. With minimal online school experience, choosing this program was a bit daunting, but I'm so glad I enrolled.

The program was pretty intense at first and seemed to go at breakneck speed. But after getting acclimated, I realized the value a quality program can offer.

My instructor, John Hui, was one of the better instructors I’ve ever had, and that includes undergraduate, some grad work, tech schools etc.

John allowed me to build upon previous knowledge in information technology, in a more specialized segment. My first project gave me fits at times, but John continued to encourage me to persevere. And that was very valuable, in that it gave me confidence going forward. John was excellent in explaining concepts and important topics (“take aways”). And it was obvious that he truly enjoyed what he was doing.

Lastly, if I were to recommend a “model” teacher in this field, John Hui would be my nominee. Perhaps UR/Trilogy could use him as a consultant in training new teacher candidates? Anyway, he will truly be missed! (at least by me!)

David Wilson
 

When I first started my cybersecurity journey, I didn’t know where to start. I knew I wanted a credible program affiliated with a larger university and I knew I wanted it to be affordable. I was lucky enough to be in Richmond, VA at the time and decided the University of Richmond’s Cybersecurity Bootcamp program was the perfect option. It had evening classes on Mondays and Wednesdays with one morning class on Saturdays. Very doable! The cherry on top was the instructor that I was given: John Hui.  John is not an ordinary instructor. John is a cyber miracle worker. I have a background in medicine and languages, but there was no way I’d be able to understand the complexities of cybersecurity if it weren’t for John’s guidance. Learning cyber security can be very daunting! The frameworks can feel like alphabet soup and you never know if you’re one click away from breaking your whole system. However, John coaxed us in the right direction just enough for us to solve the problem on our own. He facilitated in a way that fostered personal growth as well as technical prowess. He never left anyone behind. He said “as long as you keep showing up, I’ll get you to graduation” and he was right. I graduated last week and have interviews lining up as I type this. 
John’s teaching style is psychology driven rather than syllabus driven. He’d rather deviate from the syllabus if his students needed more time on a subject, rather than march along to an academic drum. When you’re learning something this complex, you need instructors that really see you where you are. John knew we were all working professionals with lives outside of the bootcamp. He showed grace on assignments/projects which had a positive impact on class morale and overall educational satisfaction. John’s teaching style made me want to come to class. He paired us up into small groups at the beginning and now my group members are like family. 
There aren’t enough good things to say about John. He taught me that every wrong answer is a deviated route to the right one. He taught me not to give up and to believe I have the capacity to do much more than I imagined. Bottom line, You want John Hui as your cyber security instructor. Period. 

This boot camp has been a god send, I was able to expound on my networking knowledge exponentially. John has done an amazing job leading the class through all of our units and provided us with superb assistance. When we have questions instead of just outright telling us he challenges us to look at the problem from different angles and has really been reinforcing critical thinking skills in order to find solutions. John and the course have given me personally a tremendous confidence boost and helped quell the imposter syndrome that I feel I have been experiencing every since I got my two year networking degree. I do not think I would have anywhere near the same amount of confidence in my ability to perform in the cyber security industry if it weren't for John's outstanding instruction throughout the course. I have already recommended this boot camp to friends and others who were looking to get into the field or shift focus in their careers. 

when i was first looking for the boot camp i was simply looking for a better paying job that could help me further my life. when i started the Bootcamp i was an introvert who was shy and could barely speak in public to save my life, but meeting john and the rest of the boot camp team has really helped me come out of my shell and be able to be confident in myself for once. a significant change that's happened is the fact that i am able to talk to other people in an effective and structured way. i appreciate how john allows you to answer the question and doesn't just give you the answer right away, giving me a sense of accomplishment when i do. if i had to recommend john in one sentence id say "he is a wizard of his craft and knows what he's doing 5 times over

  Course designed as career change.  Quite a wide array of topics covered at rapid pace.  Working in the group was by far one of the best aspects of the course.  And the ability of the instructor to place us in great mutually beneficial groups was amazing.
  I was looking for information on the cybersecurity field (not particularly in a career change at the moment).  I am still processing on just how it all fits together.  We were given many different details and path options - it all is quite overwhelming at the time.
  John and Kevin (instructors) covered the material well and were very knowledgeable in the field(s) as a whole - able to field most any question.