More Than a Degree: How NIU Shaped Cybersecurity Leader Arvin Verma, '11
By Lia Kizilbash Gillet
Cybersecurity leader Arvin Verma, '11, served as a cryptologic warfare officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve. (Photo credit: Arvin Verma)
Cybersecurity advisor and U.S. Navy Reserve veteran Arvin Verma, '11, knew he wanted to build a strong business foundation in college.
But like many students, his more immediate focus was on gaining independence and figuring out who he was.
Raised in a South Asian household in Downers Grove and Naperville, Illinois, Verma often navigated between cultures.
“I grew up balancing my cultural identity and American culture,” he said, noting that his early life was carefully guided and many responsibilities were handled for him.
Wanting a university close to family, NIU stood out for its right balance of academics and affordability.
“NIU wasn’t just a practical choice,” Verma said, “It was the right fit for everything I needed in a university experience. It became my first real introduction to life beyond the structure and the familiarity of home.”
Finding his Path at NIU
Verma majored in Operations Management & Information Systems and credits faculty members Nancy Russo, Chang Liu, Chuck Downing, and Kathleen McFadden with shaping his path. Their influence extended beyond coursework, challenging him to think more critically about success, career sustainability and work-life balance.
Getting involved on campus also played a key role in his development. As a member of Delta Upsilon and several other business organizations, Verma deepened his appreciation for effective teamwork.
“Seeing how shared goals come to life through collaboration reshaped my perspective on partnership, communication and collective problem-solving, and it ultimately strengthened how I approach both leadership and teamwork today,” he said.
The College of Business opened doors to major organizations, where Verma gained experience through internships with McDonald’s and Navistar (now International Truck Corporation), as well as student consulting projects with Caterpillar and McKesson. These opportunities gave him early exposure to the scale and complexity of enterprise environments — and the confidence to navigate them.
“Student consulting projects with the Experiential Learning Center were one of the most rewarding parts of my experience at NIU,” he said. “Working through real-world problem scenarios for actual organizations pushed me to think beyond theoretical coursework and challenged me to be both innovative and practical. It also encouraged me to step outside the boundaries of my own area of study and consider perspectives from other disciplines.”
Those experiences reinforced an important lesson.
“Regardless of major or specialty, the problems we solve all connect back to broader business challenges that require collaboration and diverse ways of thinking,” he said.
Building a Cybersecurity Career
Verma began his career at Boeing before joining EY, where he led a team conducting cybersecurity and risk assessments for Fortune 500 organizations. That role marked a turning point, setting him on a path in cybersecurity that would take him to PepsiCo, Abbott and ultimately his current role as a virtual chief information security officer and senior advisor at Sentinel Technologies.
There, he advises organizations that may not have the resources to maintain dedicated cybersecurity teams, helping leadership understand the risks and make informed decisions.
“A key part of my work involves translating complex cybersecurity challenges into clear business terms, helping leadership teams understand the value proposition behind cybersecurity and IT investments,” he said.
Among his proudest professional achievements is contributing to the development and patenting of a new technology platform focused on payments, identity management and security at Boeing. The patented system allows multiple users to securely maintain separate, private data on a single removable memory card. Its significance lies in enabling stronger security and simpler credential management across mobile, enterprise and high-security environments.
“Contributing to something that brings together such critical and interconnected areas of technology has been both challenging and deeply rewarding, and it remains a defining milestone in my journey,” he said.
Service and National Recognition
For more than eight years, Verma served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Navy Reserve as a special-duty cryptologic warfare officer.
“Cryptologic warfare officers deliver secure, battle-ready global networks and lead information operations capabilities,” he said, reflecting on the discipline and perspective the role instilled.
His commitment to service extends well beyond his military and professional roles. Verma received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, a national honor recognizing individuals who dedicate significant volunteer service to their communities or professions. He earned the award through his work as a Cyber Warfare fellow for the Cyber Security Forum Initiative, contributing to research on critical infrastructure and cyber threats, including vulnerabilities in the air traffic control system.
Verma also remains active in collaborative cybersecurity efforts through InfraGard — a partnership between the FBI and private-sector leaders — where he currently serves as the National Sector IT Chief.
Giving Back to NIU
Verma went on to earn a master’s degree in information systems from DePaul University, yet remains closely connected to NIU. He has attended Homecoming events and returned to campus to speak with students on the panel "Protecting Yourself and Your Organization from Cybercrime."
“Returning to NIU has been a meaningful way to stay connected, but also a reminder of how influential those formative years are,” he said. “Even small conversations with students can have a lasting impact on how they think about their own paths.”
He offers this simple but powerful advice to current students:
“Adaptability is essential. Some of the most meaningful opportunities come from directions you didn’t originally plan but choose to explore.”
At NIU, the journey is more than academic, it's transformational. Learn more at NIUForward.com.