Huntington native David LeGrow’s path to Marshall wasn’t a straight one. He is a nontraditional student, military veteran, and father who found his passion for cybersecurity while working various odd jobs.
It wasn’t until he took an online cybersecurity course through Google that he felt something.
“I thought, ‘This is really interesting.’ I love this,” David said.
His passion led him to seek out a cybersecurity program when he discovered Marshall’s Cyber Forensics and Security program was one of the top programs in the country.
It’s a real gift when a great program in the field you’re passionate about and a family’s traditional school are right in your backyard.
David’s father, Chris Legrow, was a professor at Marshall University for 25 years, and David’s sister, brother, and mother all attended Marshall University.
Now a third-year student in Marshall’s cybersecurity program, David has found the perfect blend of academic challenges and real-world applications. “The program is great. It definitely has a practitioner mindset,” David said. “There are lectures, but you can immediately apply what you learn, which helps both types of learning stick.”
In addition to teaching, David engages in practical research, analyzing cyber threats related to global events and large-scale ransomware attacks.
He was able to gain real-world hands-on experience through Marshall’s Cyber Forensics and Security program. His current project is serving as a cyber navigator through the West Virginia Secretary of State and Marshall, where he and his team work with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and counties in West Virginia to improve election results. We ensure the safety of
David currently works four jobs, including assisting with events at the Marshall Cybersecurity Institute and mentoring underrepresented high school students in STEM through the Health Science Technology Academy.
What’s the motivation behind his work ethic? his 4 year old son.
When my son was born, all of my perspectives and priorities completely changed. Previously, you could bartend or just hang out. But now it is not enough to give him the life he deserves. This is everything to him. – David LeGrow
“When my son was born, all of my perspectives and priorities completely changed,” David said. “Before, he could bartend and hang out. But now that’s not enough to give him the life he deserves. This is all he has.”
“I’m going to do a really technical job, but then my son will come in with a Lego car and say, ‘Dad, can you help me with this?'” I would really like to do that.” It was a break from everything and turned into a nice balance,” David said.
“This is what my parents did for me,” David said. “They settled down and provided for us. I want to give my son the same stability and opportunity. He deserves it too.”
David’s career goal is to help both governments and private organizations protect themselves from emerging cyber threats, bridging the gap between the digital and physical worlds.
Cyber threats continue to evolve in complexity and scale, making it increasingly important to increase awareness and strengthen security measures.
This is what my parents did for me. They calmed down and fed us. I want to give my son the same stability and opportunity. He deserves it too. – David LeGrow
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month (CSAM), an initiative launched in 2004 by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).
CISA recommends four simple ways to stay safe online.
Use strong passwords Enable multi-factor authentication Recognize and report phishing Update software
For more information about cybersecurity at Marshall University, visit www.marshall.edu/cyber.
