Mischka Scott, who graduated from the UTC BAS-IT CyS degree program in December 2023, now works as a system administrator at PlayCore. Photo by Angela Foster.
Moving into a career in IT has been seamless for Mischka Scott, a former social worker who just graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in December 2023.
She landed a system administrator position at PlayCore in Chattanooga, the same company where she interned as part of the new Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology in Cybersecurity program at UTC.
“I’ll be able to continue with the work that I’ve already started, which is great because I have a lot of projects I want to finish,” said Scott, who worked in social services for seven years before deciding to change careers and go back to school.
“I’m really grateful about that. They created a role for me so that’s awesome.”
Scott is particularly drawn to the cybersecurity aspect of her work.
“What makes it really intriguing and exciting is when it comes to response, like dealing with hackers,” Scott said.
Her previous career experience paid off in unexpected ways. Just like in social work, the key to success in IT is keen decision-making and case-by-case problem-solving, she said.
“So when we’re looking at a possible cyber attack from an IP address out of China, I investigate and look at the big picture and do things like check the news and think about why someone in China would take the time to attack PlayCore in Chattanooga. It’s basically case management but on steroids,” she said.
Originally from South Carolina, Scott earned her first degree from nearby Southern Adventist University, spent several years working in her field and then started her career transition at Chattanooga State Community College—where she learned about the UTC degree program.
Like many of her classmates, Scott was drawn to the program and the Mocs experience as a way into the IT field and because of its 12-month format.
The new program is designed for:
- people with a bachelor’s degree
- people with an associate’s degree
- transfer students who have completed general education requirements
- full-time students who meet the pre-enrollment requirements; they will finish the program in a year with six terms of intense year-round learning.
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PlayCore, where Scott did her internship and got her first job in IT, is one of a handful of local companies that have partnered with UTC to employ students in the program.
Students in the BAS-IT CyS program attend class in the mornings and work weekdays from 1-5 p.m. at their respective companies to gain hands-on experiences in core subjects, including:
- computer architecture
- programming and systems analysis
- networking
- telecommunications
- cryptography
- security system auditing and design
- applicable law and regulations
- risk assessment and policy analysis
- contingency planning
- user access issues
- investigation techniques
- troubleshooting
Learn More
Bachelor of Applied Science: Information Technology in Cybersecurity
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The first UTC BAS-IT CyS cohort at December 2023 commencement ceremonies. From left: Jaeden Adami, Mischka Scott, College of Engineering and Computer Science Interim Dean Ahad Nasab, Dr. Chang Phuong, Amber Gordy and Noah Syler.
