College of Business alumna Emma Drew’s journey to working in cybersecurity at Boeing begins in the small town of Barnhart, Missouri, located about 30 minutes south of St. Louis.
“My dad is the reason I got into the field. He’s a desktop support analyst and as a kid, I’d hear him talk about computers at the dinner table and I knew I wanted to do something with computers,” Drew said.
Her interest in cybersecurity piqued when she heard about cyberattacks in the news and on social media.
Educational foundation at MSU
Drew came to Missouri State in 2020 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in information technology (IT) with an emphasis in cybersecurity. She graduated in December 2023.
“I loved my experience at Missouri State,” Drew said. “The IT and cybersecurity professors in the College of Business were the best. It was awesome to learn from industry professionals and be given opportunities to practice what we had learned in the cybersecurity lab.”
Beyond academics, Drew immersed herself in campus life. She served as a resident assistant (RA) for two and a half years, helping to create a supportive community for her peers. She was also an active member of Delta Sigma Pi, a professional co-ed business fraternity.
These experiences enriched her university life and honed her leadership and interpersonal skills.
Road to Boeing
Drew’s journey to her current role at Boeing, one of the world’s leading aerospace companies, began with a series of strategic internships that gave her diverse and enriching experiences.
She first entered the professional world as a network engineer intern at SpringNet, an internet service provider in Springfield.
Following this, Drew interned with Enterprise Mobility in St. Louis for two consecutive summers. Her initial role was as an IT support intern. The next summer, she transitioned to an IT security engineer intern position, delving deeper into cybersecurity.
After graduation, she landed a job at Boeing as a cybersecurity incident response specialist.
“In my position, I’m responsible for reviewing suspicious activity occurring on the Boeing network and applying the necessary mitigations,” Drew said. “This can involve working with several different teams at once. I also investigate employee cybersecurity concerns, like reviewing suspicious emails or analyzing malware.”
Benefits of getting involved
Drawing from her own experiences, Drew advises current and future students to engage with the campus community beyond the classroom as much as possible.
She notes her involvement with Delta Sigma Pi and her role as a RA helped her to build a network of lifelong friends and professional contacts.