From “Stagnant” to Cyber Success: Keenan's Story

Keenan knows firsthand the difference that opportunity and determination can make.

Before finding City of Refuge, his life was marked by underpaid jobs and long hours with little growth potential. "Life was stagnant," Keenan recalls. “I was working multiple jobs just to get by." Raised by his grandmother and with a twin brother by his side, he bounced between Boston and Georgia, looking for something more.

At one point, Keenan worked as a groundskeeper at an apartment complex directly across the street from NCR Voyix, a global tech company. He dreamed of one day working at a company like that.

The turning point came when his grandmother brought him a newspaper clipping about City of Refuge's job training programs. Keenan wasted no time and applied the next morning. “It was my calling," Keenan says. “She saw the article for a reason." He enrolled in the Cybersecurity program, that would help him transition into a career he was passionate about.

During his time in the program, Keenan found more than just technical skills—he found a community. "Between the students, staff, and tech meetups, the connections were most helpful," he said. With support from mentors and classmates, Keenan not only completed the program but secured an internship at NCR Voyix (the same company he used to dream about), where he now works full-time in both incident response and vulnerability management.

Looking ahead, Keenan has big goals. “I aspire to be a security manager leading a team, but I also have other passions like car customization and fashion." To the donors who make City of Refuge's programs possible, Keenan expresses deep gratitude:

"First, I would like to say a big thank you. A lot of people don't have the means or the resources, and that's what City of Refuge does. Your donations reach farther than you know."

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