By Gabbie Fales
When Krista Koors, ’18, walked into the Donius University Center for a career fair during her final semester at Maryville, she knew she would be meeting with potential employers. What she wasn’t expecting was to leave that day with an interview lined up that would lead to her first full-time job.
Now a cybersecurity analyst for Burns & McDonnell, Koors puts her cybersecurity degree to good use. “I’m proud to be a Maryville alumna,” she said. “People recognize Maryville’s cybersecurity program and know that because I went here, I have a really strong background in the field.”
In addition to her experience in cybersecurity, Burns & McDonnell was attracted to the skills that Koors developed through her extracurricular activities. As a first-year student, Koors became involved with the Campus Activities Board (CAB). She stuck with the group all four years, eventually becoming the vice president. Her experience planning and executing events as a student was a perfect match for her now employer.
Each year, Burns & McDonnell puts on an annual conference, the Critical Infrastructure Security and Compliance Symposium. At the helm of conference planning this past year was Koors. The conference hosted industry executives over two days in Phoenix. “My experience with CAB translated into an impactful skillset that I have been able to bring into my career,” Koors said.
Koors’ job responsibilities don’t stop there. Since joining Burns & McDonnell, she has stepped into the field of recruiting. The company was looking to grow their cybersecurity talent in St. Louis, so Koors was tasked with representing the company at a variety of career fairs in the area. One of the fairs stood out to Koors in particular. Just a few months after graduating, Koors was back on Maryville’s campus at a career fair — this time, on the other side of the table.
“It was neat to be back on campus and see a lot of the students I knew pursuing careers in cybersecurity,” Koors said. She has now attended three Maryville career fairs as a recruiter for Burns & McDonnell, and said “I see a lot of talent coming from Maryville.” Her advice for current Maryville students? Take advantage of career fairs — you never know what you’re going to get out of it.