Unstoppable Stories - Episode 8: From Football To Software Engineer with Brandon Blackwell

In this episode of Unstoppable Stories, the UMGC Podcast, host Lauren Cardillo welcomes Brandon Blackwell, Director of Software Development at CyTech Services and UMGC alumnus.Brandon shares his personal journey, including how he balanced work while earning his degree from UMGC. From family values to striving for excellence and giving back to the community, Brandon's story is one of resilience, impact, and the transformative power of education. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about overcoming obstacles, pursuing dreams, and transforming into the best version of yourself. Be sure to leave a like, comment, and subscribe!To learn more about UMGC, visit: UMGC.edu/Unstoppable    Host: Lauren Cardillo, HostGuest: Brandon Blackwell, Director of Software Development at CyTech Services and UMGC alumnusTime Stamps & Show Notes: (00:00 - 00:40) Intro (00:40 - 02:40) Brandon's interest in cybersecurity (02:40 - 05:50) Pivotal moment of ACL injury and career shift (05:50 - 08:00) Balancing education and work (08:00 - 10:47) Family support and educational goals (10:47 - 12:33) Overcoming obstacles and achieving success (12:33 - 16:05) Commercial crabbing experiences (16:06 - 18:08) First generation college importance (18:08 - 22:34) UMGC support for working students (22:35 - 23:30) Risk assessment project experience (23:31 - 28:34) Value of certificates in career (28:34 - 31:03) Working with family(31:03 - 35:14) Entrepreneurship and family business (35:14 - 37:50) Future aspirations (37:50 - 39:32) Advice to non-traditional students