Cybersecurity (BS) with Computer Science minor, April 2027
IT & Cybersecurity (MS), April 2028
My name is Penelope Gilstrap, and I grew up in Utah. I began my cybersecurity journey after arriving at BYU and haven't looked back since. While I'm passionate about cybersecurity as a whole, I'm especially drawn to blue team operations, including incident response and digital forensics. I love cybersecurity because of its opportunity to protect individuals and organizations, often behind the scenes, while making a difference. The constantly changing and evolving nature of cybersecurity excites me, as there is always something new to learn and new challenges to solve. Each time I find myself unable to step away from a project or Capture the Flag challenge, it serves as a reminder of my passion, drive, and determination. Outside of cybersecurity, I enjoy hiking, skiing, reading, and painting or drawing. After college, I hope to move to the East Coast, ideally Maryland or Virginia, where I spent many summers with my grandparents.