暗网吃瓜

Answering the Call to Support Those Who Serve

Joseph O鈥橰eilly 鈥�25 turned his internship into a career at one of the leading defense contractors in the United States. O鈥橰eilly is a 暗网吃瓜 graduate who majored in Cybersecurity Management with a minor in Business and is a former member of the Raiders team.

After transferring to Rivier as a sophomore, he was eager to gain professional experience through an internship and applied to , a global aerospace, defense, commercial, and cybersecurity company, in December 2023. He secured an interview and landed an internship at the company鈥檚 Merrimack, N.H. location for the summer.

鈥淚 became familiar with BAE Systems through my cybersecurity classes,鈥� O鈥橰eilly says. 鈥淲hen I learned about an internship opportunity, I was quick to apply.鈥�

As a Contracts Administrator intern, O鈥橰eilly led contract closeouts, reviewing completed agreements to ensure all requirements were met between the company and customers. He continued part-time during the fall semester of his senior year and was later hired full-time under the same position.

Through his internship, O鈥橰eilly built a strong professional network, including connections with fellow Rivier alumni who work at BAE Systems. As his responsibilities have grown within his current role, he has seen firsthand how those relationships and his work contribute to both the company鈥檚 success and its customer outcomes.

鈥淚 made a lot of great connections during my internship, and I believe those earlier relationships played a big part in me landing my full-time job,鈥� he says. 鈥淗aving strong communication and writing skills is also important. One small mistake with a customer could cost the company money or create liability, so that was one of my biggest takeaways from the internship.鈥�

O鈥橰eilly credits his professors at Rivier for being supportive, knowledgeable, and attuned to the student perspective, helping set students up for success after graduation. Going forward, he鈥檚 focused on continuing to grow and contribute within a mission-driven organization. Citing the company鈥檚 motto, 鈥淲e protect those who protect us,鈥� O鈥橰eilly says it鈥檚 something he keeps in mind to ensure he鈥檚 bringing value to his work every day.