“The program prepared me 100%”: Jamison Chochrek’s path to cybersecurity success

Jamison Chochrek’s academic journey at age 53 shows it’s never too late to reinvent yourself and chase new dreams.

Through his unwavering commitment to service and country, Chochrek developed outstanding leadership skills that became the foundation for his private-sector success.

From military honor to tech excellence

After his honorable military service, Chochrek built a robust resume in the financial tech sector. Over two decades, he thrived in many roles such as a financial consultant at Oracle, a business intelligence manager at Microsoft, a director within the office of the chief financial officer for SAP Consulting and, most recently, a senior director at Lumen.

Chochrek’s job at Lumen involves working with the systems, applications and products software platform, which runs backend services for the world’s leading companies.

A leader at heart

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Chochrek also demonstrated exceptional leadership in his community through youth sports. In 2010, he coached the Idaho Little League boys’ baseball team to the World Series, and at the end of it all he was awarded the “FISH” coach award for best role model for sportsmanship.

The team’s accomplishments led to Boise Mayor David H. Bieter proclaiming July 30, 2010, as Boise Braves Day. Chochrek viewed the whole experience as an opportunity to impact the future, saying, “Kids are important, and how we treat them matters!”

His participation in community youth programs provides a glimpse into the heart of his character. Chochrek’s commitment to his professional roles, his community and to fostering growth in others is a common theme throughout his career and personal life.

Transforming challenge into opportunity

However, as he progressed in these careers, Chochrek began facing challenges tied to getting older and falling behind the tech curve.

“I started to feel irrelevant in life with what I knew about advancing technology,” he said.

He was determined not to allow these obstacles to define him, as he did not want to be left behind, so he decided to return to academia at Boise State University. This decision marked a transformational moment in his life and set him on the path to cybersecurity.

At this juncture, Chochrek embraced the opportunity to reinvent himself. His decision to further his education opened doors to new possibilities in a rapidly growing industry — cybersecurity.

Leveraging a bachelor’s degree to enter cybersecurity

Chochrek’s interest in cybersecurity was initially sparked while completing the undergraduate Certificate in Cyber Operations alongside an online Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies at Boise State.

He appreciated the opportunity his bachelor’s degree offered because it allowed him to take creative ownership of his education. For him, that meant taking Boise State’s cyber operations and resilience offerings and blending them with his previous college credits.

In the end, Chochrek earned a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary professional studies, a cyber operations certificate and a biological sciences teaching endorsement.

Education and mentorship

As his interest in the field developed, he reached out to Sin Ming Loo, director of the cyber operations and resilience program, for more information about the master’s program.

Reflecting on that critical moment, Chochrek shared, “I was intrigued and encouraged by the challenge and reward it offered. I love to help people.”

He continued, “Loo’s guidance and the master’s program gave me a renewed sense of purpose in life. I can’t go back into the Army at my age, but I can defend freedom in a new way through cybersecurity.”

This conversation and the support of Loo shaped the trajectory of Chochrek’s academic journey, leading him to transition into the master’s program after earning his bachelor’s degree.

Combined with his desire to defend freedom, cybersecurity became the perfect avenue to align his technical passions with his values. “I want to serve others, and the education I received at Boise State re-enables me to be a meaningful contributor once again.”

100% prepared

As Chochrek looks ahead to the next chapter in his life, he reflects on the impact of Boise State’s cyber operations and resilience program.

“The program provided me with the foundation I needed to succeed in this field. The entire experience at Boise State was top-notch. The professors challenged me to think critically and approach problems with confidence.

“I also had the wonderful opportunity to participate as a teaching assistant (TA) for Recovery and Forensics and Cyber Risk Management. Being a TA allowed me to give back to the program and to help other students succeed.”

Chochrek credits courses including Zero Trust Architecture, Cyber Systems Thinking, Cyber Law, Ethics and Policy and Cyber Threat Intelligence as some of the most relevant to his professional goals and will be extremely helpful in his future endeavors.

“Overall, the program prepared me 100% for real-world cybersecurity challenges and I am thankful for that,” he said.

“I feel deeply saddened that my time at Boise State University is coming to an end, as I will miss the program and community immensely. I truly wish the university offered a doctorate program in cyber operations and resilience, as I would pursue it without hesitation,” he continued.

“However, considering how far the program has come in such a short amount of time, I will be patient and excited for the program’s future. Who knows, maybe I will come back in my sixties, and leverage my senior citizen fees.”

Resilience and purpose

As his master’s program comes to an end, Chochrek has seen the fruit of his labor pay off. During his studies, he transitioned into cybersecurity at Lumen where his role focuses on helping customers strengthen their business’s digital and physical defenses. Using his education from Boise State University, he guides organizations toward implementing more secure practices, primarily aiming to help them achieve zero trust architectures.

“I am excited to announce I will be participating in the cybersecurity mission in the European theater beginning in the spring of 2025 to increase the resilience of mission-critical systems,” he said. “I will feel like I have a purpose once again.”

His advice to others navigating competitive job markets is simple: “Keep going. Seek mentors, tackle one task at a time and remember that success is often built on small, consistent efforts.”

Through it all, he acknowledges the support of his family and overcoming imposter syndrome as key factors in his success.

Commitment to family and perseverance

Chochrek thanked his family for their support over the years. “My family has been my biggest motivator. I need to provide for them. For example, showing what a good work ethic looks like for my daughter, Emma, a nursing student at Boise State. This is also why I coached or volunteered for all my kids’ sports teams; I wanted to be present. It is important to me that my family and those I have any kind of influence on can see what good work ethic and success looks like.”

He acknowledged that getting where he is now has had its challenges. “This journey has not always been so easy; I had impostor syndrome pretty bad when I was younger. Sometimes I felt like I wasn’t good enough or that I was going to let our customers down, especially considering we were charging them $200 an hour for our services.”

Like many transitioning professionals, he said he was hard on himself. However, that drive forced him out of his comfort zone, where his performance soon exceeded even his own expectations.

For example, he would spend his breaks at work studying software manuals that arrived the day before via FedEx. “I put the work in, the key is persistence. Show up every day, do the work, and take it one step at a time.”

Lessons in balance, gratitude and community

Now, he reflects on how he has grown. “As I have aged, I have experienced life, and I have learned a lot about balance. Do not beat yourself up and be easy on others. We are all experiencing some level of pain. No need to make it any worse. However, you need to be self-aware of how much you are leaning on or needing others and vice versa. Keep all of that in check!”

With the help of others, self-motivation, and overcoming impostor syndrome, he says he is thankful to the program and to all of those who helped him along the way.

“My mother always said, ‘Do not surround yourself with people who do not have your best interest at heart. Seek those who do and bond with them,’” he reflected. “I felt that the community at Boise State University did and does have my best interest at heart and that is the reason I wanted to be a Bronco.”

Write your future down

In parting, Chochrek advises those starting their own journeys in cybersecurity: “Write a resume for who you want to be. It helps you visualize your goals and to stay motivated. Life isn’t easy, but with persistence and support, you can achieve more than you can imagine in this field.”

Chochrek’s journey proves that you can not only redefine yourself and your career but also find renewed purpose, no matter where you are in life.

Learn more about the cyber operations and resilience program

Earning an online Master of Science in Cyber Operations and Resilience from Boise State University can open doors to new opportunities and a brighter future — and we’re here to support you every step of the way. Whether you’re exploring if an online degree is right for you or need help transferring credits, connecting with a student success coach is the perfect first step.

Ready to learn more? Attend one of our online information sessions or contact a student success coach today.

About the author

Forland’s background spans combat experience during military service as an 11-B Infantryman, civilian firefighting, corrections, retail management and leadership roles in each, all of which have deepened his understanding of humility, compassion and care for others. He finds his greatest joy in witnessing others rise above life’s challenges to achieve their goals. Forland commonly says, “The best can motivate me, but the underdogs inspire me.”