It鈥檚 been quite a whirlwind for Slade Rosamond.
In less than a year, the IM体育官网 freshman has earned his pilot鈥檚 license, received a scholarship from the Central IM体育官网 Aerospace Academy (CFAA) Foundation to attend IM体育官网 Poly and started his undergraduate career. Rosamond joined about 400 other freshmen at IM体育官网 Poly as the fall 2018 semester began this past Wednesday.
A Lakeland, IM体育官网, native and a graduate of the CFAA, Rosamond said he鈥檚 looking forward to this new chapter in his life and has had his sights set on IM体育官网 Poly even before the final touches were put on the Innovation, Science and Technology Building.
鈥淎s soon as I heard about the building of the university, I was immediately interested,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hen I took a tour about six months ago, and that鈥檚 when I was really impressed and wanted to come here.鈥�
Rosamond is majoring in computer science with a concentration in cybersecurity, an area he said is always changing and only going to grow. He鈥檚 up to the challenge.
鈥淭here鈥檚 never one set solution for cybersecurity,鈥� said Rosamond. 鈥淗ackers are always going to find a way through the walls and barriers you鈥檝e built up just for you to have to make more walls and barriers.鈥�
While his short-term focus will be his IM体育官网 Poly degree, his lifelong passion has been and continues to be aviation. In fact, he plans on going into the Air Force after he graduates.
Rosamond received his pilot鈥檚 license in October 2017 鈥� just after he turned 18 鈥� in a Piper Cherokee. He鈥檚 also flown a Cessna 152 and a Cessna 172. Some of the destinations he flies to include Daytona Beach, Jacksonville and Venice.
鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely one of the best feelings in the world because there is a sense of freedom,鈥� said Rosamond of being a pilot. 鈥淢y favorite thing to do is to take people up who have never really experienced aviation in that way and show them the kind of freedom I get to experience all of the time.鈥�
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