At Neumann University, students involved in the NITE Center are doing far more than studying cybersecurity in a classroom. Through hands-on digital forensics and real-time crime analysis, students are gaining professional experience while helping law enforcement respond to active investigations.
The Neumann Investigative Technology Excellence (NITE) Center gives students the opportunity to work directly with industry-standard technology and real police cases. Students monitor live incidents such as hit-and-runs, shootings, and missing-person cases while also analyzing digital evidence from phones, computers, drones, and vehicles.
Senior cybersecurity major Sydney Wilson said the center helps bridge the gap between classroom learning and real-world experience.
“It gives students real opportunities to learn about cybersecurity and digital forensics in a hands-on way,” she said. “It connects what we learn in class to real-world situations.”
Wilson emphasized that cybersecurity awareness is important for everyone, not just students pursuing technology-related careers.
“Cybersecurity affects everyone, not just people in tech,” Wilson explained. “Every student uses email, social media, online banking, and school systems, so everyone is at risk in some way.”
She also noted that the field goes far beyond common stereotypes.
“Cybersecurity is not just about coding in a dark room or hacking into systems,” she said. “It involves teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking.”
She encouraged students interested in the field to stay curious and take advantage of opportunities available on campus, including training, clubs, and certifications. “There is always something new to learn,” she said. “Just start exploring and don’t be intimidated.”
Wilson said one of the most rewarding parts of her experience has been working on hands-on digital forensics cases and seeing how investigations can continue into real court proceedings.
“It makes everything feel meaningful and shows the real impact of what we’re doing,” she said.
Senior cybersecurity major and co-valedictorian Chase Cochran shared a similar passion for the field. Cochran originally came to Neumann as a criminal justice major before discovering the university’s cybersecurity program.
“Once I arrived, I realized how incredible the cyber program was here,” Cochran said. “After my first semester, I quickly transferred into cyber.”
Cochran became involved with the NITE Center after being encouraged by Detective Walsh, who recognized his potential and introduced him to the opportunity.
For Cochran, cybersecurity offered a way to pursue his long-term goal of working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation while avoiding the traditional path into policing.
“I learned that I can still help stop crime through technical skills,” Cochran said. “There are analyst positions within the FBI, so that dream is still alive and well.”
As an analyst in the NITE Center, Cochran works on both digital forensics investigations and real-time crime response cases. He explained that students help provide responding officers with photos, videos, and critical information during active incidents.
“It can be fast-paced or slow and methodical, but it is a great feeling knowing you are stopping crime,” he said.
Cochran also highlighted the unique opportunities students gain through the center, including networking with professionals from agencies such as the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, state police, local police departments, and private-sector organizations.
According to Cochran, one of the most meaningful cases he worked on involved a shooting investigation in which analysts were able to identify a second unknown vehicle and help law enforcement stop both cars involved.
He also stressed the growing importance of cybersecurity in everyday life.
“If you don’t have a secure network, you can lose everything in an instant,” Cochran said. “We rely so heavily on electronics now that an attack can cripple entire systems.”
Both Wilson and Cochran agree that the NITE Center provides students with rare hands-on experience that prepares them for careers in cybersecurity, digital forensics, and law enforcement long before graduation.
As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, students in the NITE Center are proving that protecting digital spaces is not just about technology. It is about communication, investigation, critical thinking, and making a real impact on the world around them.
