Turning a childhood fascination with technology into his pursuit of a college degree, Tremaine Reid is pursuing a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity at the University of North Georgia (UNG).
"The world is relying more and more on technology and because of that, unfortunately, there is more opportunity for us to uncover those who take advantage of that dependence. They exploit it," Reid, who is scheduled to graduate in spring 2024, said. "I just generally dislike bullies, and cybersecurity is a novel and interesting way to stop these emerging 'bullies' in cyberspace."
The Duluth, Georgia resident spent the summer of 2022 experiencing a cybersecurity internship with the Army Cyber Institute at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, which culminated with a presentation to Col. Jeffrey Erickson, director of the Army Cyber Institute and Lt. Gen. Steven Gilland, superintendent of West Point.
Reid and his teammate showed what could be done with minimal technical knowledge and hardware with "deep fake" technology, or cases where technology is used to alter images or videos.
The experience was fully funded by the Institute for Cyber Operations at UNG.
Reid said he's been interested in technologies from a young age, often dismantling things out of boredom, including the family computer.
"We weren't really worrying about any repercussions since the computer was the one we were going to throw away anyway. It was just childish fun, but seeing the insides of a computer fascinated me," he said.
When he enrolled at UNG, Reid was excited to be able combine things he loved.
"I chose UNG for a variety of reasons. It was not absurdly expensive like other some other colleges, and being an in-state school allowed me to stay in Georgia," Reid explained. "I heard a lot of good things about both the cybersecurity and ROTC programs from people who were UNG students at the time."
Reid's younger siblings have also taken an interest in technology, attributed to Tremaine. It's a passion he helps foster with the hope it continues to grow.
"My young brother spends a lot of time on his iPad, and I wanted him to at least be doing something productive and somewhat fun. I showed him the learning platform TryHackMe because it almost gamified cybersecurity while having a low barrier to entry so he would not spend his entire day playing on his iPad," Reid said.
The influence Reid has over others has deep roots stemming from high school JROTC upperclassmen. It was that group that inspired him to apply to UNG and its Corps of Cadets.
"They made me want to better myself. I considered them quite accomplished and I really just wanted to be like them. I definitely think I'm following in their footsteps," Reid explained.
Being part of UNG's Corps of Cadets is something Reid holds in high esteem because it means "being a part of something with other people with the shared purpose of learning and improving oneself," he said.
Today, Reid holds leadership roles in the Corps of Cadets as a sergeant first class and an academic non-commissioned officer. He is also an Alumni Student Host, an elite group of students who assist the UNG Office of Alumni Relations and Annual Giving in hosting visiting alumni and occasionally attend out-of-town alumni events. This professional group is composed of students who are involved on campus, excel academically, and are committed to serving their university and those who came before them.
"Leadership is influencing people and essentially accomplishing things through people," Reid said. "If you're doing everything yourself, that's not really leadership. A leader looks good when the people under them look good."
