Student Spotlight: Emiliano Jimenez – Finding His Place in Cybersecurity
We love seeing students in our community take bold steps toward their dream careers, and Emiliano Jimenez is a great example of why we do what we do at the National Cyber League (NCL).
Emiliano is a student at Riverside City College who started out studying information security and cyber defense, then decided to switch to computer science to build an even stronger foundation for his future career as a penetration tester and malware analyst.
He first discovered NCL through his school’s cybersecurity club and has now competed in two seasons. Emiliano told us the challenges were not only fun but also gave him real-world, hands-on experience that he could apply beyond the classroom. What stood out most for him was the community support—the walkthroughs, the shared strategies, and the encouragement from peers and coaches. These experiences helped him gain the confidence to tackle complex problems and see himself thriving in the industry.
Beyond competitions, Emiliano has been making big moves in his career journey. He’s earned the ISACA scholarship and the Diana Initiative scholarship, which opened the door to attend Hacker Summer Camp (SquadCon, Black Hat, and DEF CON). He writes his own cybersecurity blog and participates in the CrowdStrike mentorship program, all while continuing to grow his skills and network.
For Emiliano, the NCL experience wasn’t just about solving challenges—it was about finding his space in cybersecurity. Through NCL, he connected with mentors like his coach Skip Berry, gained access to a supportive community, and discovered resources that help him stay motivated and career-focused.
This is what makes the NCL community so special: it’s more than a competition—it’s a launchpad for future cybersecurity professionals. We’re here to help students build confidence, sharpen their technical skills, and connect with opportunities that make career dreams possible.
Emiliano is already looking forward to competing again this fall, and we can’t wait to see what he accomplishes next.