Published 10/02/2026
Understanding technology in the classroom is one thing. Helping build, configure, and improve it alongside a professional team brings a new set of lessons.
In the second installment of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) Central Virginia Node (CVN) 2026 Intern Impact Series, meet three Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) students who spent their summer putting their knowledge to work. Through internships with Hive Systems and DeepRun AI Labs, Nevaeh Dickerson, Trevor Eby, and Ryan Brady contributed to cybersecurity projects while discovering more about their skills, interests, and future careers.
Nevaeh Dickerson | Hive Systems
For Nevaeh Dickerson, a second year computer science student concentrating in cybersecurity and minoring in artificial intelligence, her first internship offered opportunities to explore both the technical and personal sides of a cybersecurity career.
At Richmond-based cybersecurity consulting firm Hive Systems, Nevaeh helped develop the foundation for a security information and event management system using Wazuh. She also led an initiative to incorporate individually trackable QR codes into simulated phishing emails. Her supervisor, Alex, explained that the team was unsure whether the approach would work.
“Nevaeh came in and did just that in under a week,” Alex said.
Alex also praised her dedication and worked with her on her résumé to help prepare her for future opportunities.
Alongside her technical projects, Nevaeh conducted short interviews with every team member. Hearing about their experiences helped her better understand her own interests and envision a future in the field.
“I was able to learn a little bit more about myself and also relate to some of them, which allowed me to see myself more deeply pursuing a career in cybersecurity,” she said.
Her advice to future interns is simple: ask questions. For Nevaeh, conversations with colleagues became some of the summer’s most valuable learning experiences.
Trevor Eby & Ryan Brady | DeepRun AI Labs
DeepRun AI Labs, VCU graduate student Trevor Eby and senior Ryan Brady helped expand a cybersecurity lab through software development, new features, and networking configuration.
Trevor worked extensively on the software’s front end, improving its user interface and usability while also contributing to back end development. Working within a larger, existing system challenged him to understand how different components fit together.
“Joining an existing project and learning how the system works was a really good learning experience,” Trevor said.
His supervisor, Justin Samson, highlighted the commitment Trevor brought to the work.
“He’s very, very dedicated and really enthusiastic about cybersecurity,” Samson said.
Ryan gained practical networking skills by configuring a system designed to be hosted locally. The work took him beyond classroom concepts and introduced him to the expectations of a professional team, including working under a manager, collaborating with coworkers, and meeting project deadlines.
“The biggest thing that I learned from this experience is really, like, how to work with a team, but not in an academic sense, more in a company sense,” Ryan said.
Samson had already seen both students’ abilities through VCU’s Vertically Integrated Projects course focused on AI and machine learning in cybersecurity. During the internship, they also used AI-assisted development tools, including Claude, gaining exposure to emerging software engineering practices.
The pair worked with Garrett, a former CCI CVN intern who joined DeepRun AI Labs after graduation and now helps manage their tasks. Their contributions left Samson interested in extending their time with the team.
“Their plate’s pretty full, but I would love to be able to keep them somehow,” he said.
Growing Through Experience
For Nevaeh, Trevor, and Ryan, the summer brought opportunities to contribute, ask questions, and take on unfamiliar challenges. Their experiences show how CCI CVN internships help students build technical skills while learning how to collaborate and finding their place in the technology workforce.
Hear Their Stories
Want to hear directly from Nevaeh, Trevor, and Ryan?
Watch them share the projects they worked on, the lessons they learned and the advice they have for future interns in the videos below.
For interest in CCI CVN internship programs please reach out to ccicvn@vcu.edu for more information!
