ETSU student interning with influential federal contractor

University, working with Core4ce, creating opportunities for students

As a student in East Tennessee State University’s Department of Computing, Andrew McDonald understands what it takes to find employment.   

A quality internship, he said, is “probably the biggest factor if a cybersecurity student wants to score a job right after graduating.” 

McDonald is in a good place.  

For months, McDonald interned – and now works part time – with Core4ce, a federal contractor based in Northern Virginia that provides cybersecurity services and solutions to customers including the United States Department of Defense. 

He had a role on the company’s research and development team, working on a cybersecurity investigation tool called Cyberscape. His work included programming and coding, as well as making critical updates to Cyberscape, a platform in development by Core4ce that detects, investigates and identifies cyber threats. 

“I got to learn government-level software and see the technical aspects of how customers around the world can use the same software product I helped develop,” McDonald said.   

Students getting hands-on learning opportunities is at the center of ETSU’s approach to education. Across many programs, ETSU aims to help students move easily from enrolled to employed.  

And McDonald’s work signals a budding relationship with Core4ce that ETSU officials are excited about.  

Work in the future will likely create opportunities for students in ETSU’s College of Business and Technology in the areas of cyber operations, network engineering and data analytics. ETSU students will be considered for internships with the company, and staff with Core4ce are teaching courses at ETSU. 

“I look forward to including Core4ce in our discussions, specifically how we can best shape existing courses, or develop new course offerings to make our graduates more competitive,” said Dr. Tony Pittarese, dean of the college. “Feedback from those in the field is especially important as advancements in cyber threats and capability are developing at an incredible rate. We must ensure that our curriculum keeps pace.”  

He added: “When the Department of Computing launched the Cybersecurity and Modern Networks program in 2019, the goal was to craft a program that turned out students who could go from the classroom directly into entry-level cybersecurity jobs. Internships are an important part of tying education to job readiness. Partners like Core4ce create opportunities for students to work with a company that is on the cutting edge of cybersecurity practice.”

At a broader level, work with Core4ce could be a positive for ETSU’s veteran population. The company regularly hires veterans, and veterans make up about 40% of the company’s staff. 

Dan Bishop, director of ETSU’s Military and Veteran Services, said the university is always eager to partner with companies that value the education, skills and experience that military-affiliated students provide. 

“This is a great opportunity that will benefit both parties,” said Bishop. “Core4ce is doing exceptional work in support of our national defense, and I’m proud that our students and graduates will play an important role in protecting us in the increasingly dangerous and contested cyber realm.” 

Core4ce CEO Jack Wilmer believes partnerships between industry and academia are critical to develop a robust pipeline of cyber experts who are ready to meet mission needs.  

“ETSU’s College of Business and Technology is teaching students essential skills that our federal customers are looking for to advance mission,” said Wilmer. “By partnering with ETSU, Core4ce aims to provide hands-on project experience to students that will further prepare them to make an immediate impact when they enter the workforce full time.”  

East Tennessee State University was founded in 1911 with a singular mission: to improve the quality of life for people in the region and beyond. Through its world-class health sciences programs and interprofessional approach to health care education, ETSU is a highly respected leader in rural health research and practices. The university also boasts nationally ranked programs in the arts, technology, computing, and media studies. ETSU serves approximately 14,000 students each year and is ranked among the top 10 percent of colleges in the nation for students graduating with the least amount of debt.