Our Student Spotlight series highlights the stories and experiences of Information Systems students. Meet John Lian, who is gaining hands-on IT experience through his internship while working toward his degree and future career in cybersecurity.
“During major IT incidents, the service desk is the first place people turn. I’m proud to stay calm under pressure and help customers find solutions.”
John Lian is currently pursuing a B.S. in Information Systems while participating in the Accelerated Master’s Program, gaining hands-on experience and preparing for a career in enterprise technology and cybersecurity.
This year, John is building valuable industry experience through an internship with Leidos as an IT Service Desk Technician. In this role, he supports members of the Department of Defense community across major installations including the Pentagon, Joint Base Andrews, and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.
John provides multi-tiered technical support by responding to service desk calls, logging and escalating tickets, and helping users resolve issues related to software, VPN connectivity, peripherals, and networks. His work also involves coordinating with specialized teams including desktop support, cybersecurity, and account administration to ensure issues are resolved efficiently.
Through his internship, John regularly works with technologies such as ServiceNow, PowerShell, BMC Remedy, Active Directory, and several Air Force enterprise applications. He is especially excited to continue strengthening his technical and customer service skills while learning more about network monitoring tools like SolarWinds.
One of the aspects John is most proud of is how quickly he adapted to the fast-paced service desk environment. During major IT incidents such as network outages, the service desk becomes the first point of contact for hundreds of users seeking assistance. John takes pride in remaining calm and professional during these high-pressure moments, helping resolve issues while communicating clearly with customers.
“The internship that changes everything might be one of your last applications.”
When asked what advice he would give to other students, John encourages them to apply for opportunities even if they are unsure whether they meet every qualification.
“Regardless of whether you think you’re ready, apply for internships and campus positions,” he says. “I received my first IT Help Desk offer with no prior IT experience, and that helped me build the experience needed to secure additional opportunities.”
John emphasizes that persistence is key during the internship search. He applied to nearly 100 positions before landing his current role.
“It really is a numbers game,” he explains. “My current internship as an IT Service Desk Technician at Leidos was one of the last roles I applied for. Because of that position, I was able to obtain a security clearance, which opens up even more opportunities in the DMV area.”
For John, the lesson is simple: keep applying, keep learning, and take chances on opportunities that help build real-world experience.
Looking ahead, John hopes to build a strong technical foundation by gaining experience in roles such as systems administrator and network engineer. His long-term goal is to transition into the cybersecurity or DevOps fields where he can apply both his technical knowledge and problem-solving skills to protect and optimize critical systems.
John Lian
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlian29/
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