Annual Impact Report

The Student-Led Security Operations Center (SOC)

Student success and IT innovation go hand in hand. In February 2024, ITS launched the Student-Led Security Operations Center (SOC), a hub where students gain real-world cybersecurity experience while contributing to a safer campus environment. 

The SOC is more than just a training ground; it is a launchpad for future cybersecurity professionals. Through this innovative program, students engage in hands-on training, developing essential skills in monitoring, analyzing, and responding to security incidents. Participants work with industry-leading tools from Microsoft and Fortinet, using real-world data to tackle practical challenges. This experiential learning bridges the gap between academic theory and practical application, preparing students for successful careers in cybersecurity. 

One of the standout features of the SOC is its accessibility. The program is open to all UNF students, regardless of their major, and no prior cybersecurity experience is required. This ensures that regardless of major or background, a variety of students can benefit from the program, enhancing their resumes and expanding their professional networks. Students receive guidance, resources, and mentorship from full-time IT staff members to help them prepare for industry-recognized certifications, further boosting their employability. 

In November 2024, SOC students presented their experiences at the UNF Board of Trustees (BOT) Quarterly Meeting. The inaugural participants, Rich Durfee and Evan Baker, shared their UNF journeys and their work with the SOC, including integrating AI into their presentation with an AI-generated podcast discussing SOC procedures.  After graduation, both Evan and Rich continued their educational journey by enrolling in Master’s programs at UNF.  In addition to their academic pursuits, both joined ITS with full-time roles.  Rich works in the SOC as a Senior Security Operations Center Analyst and Evan works as an Information Security Analyst.  Their time in the SOC allowed both to make immediate impacts in ITS and for UNF. 

The SOC differentiates UNF because we are the only school in Florida with such an initiative. The vision for the SOC’s future includes providing student-led services to nonprofits and small to medium enterprises that cannot afford them, starting in northeast Florida and potentially expanding throughout the state. By providing students with real-world experience, industry connections, and valuable certifications, the SOC is empowering the next generation of cybersecurity professionals and fostering a secure community for all. 

Student Testimony

Anastacia Magaliene, Class of 2025, shared, “Working in the SOC is such a rare opportunity I'm so grateful to have. In this role, I've had the chance to work with a plethora of systems and processes that are essential in my career, and having the ability to apply the knowledge from my undergraduate studies in a practical setting has only strengthened my understanding and reinforced everything I've learned.” 

Albert Murove, Class of 2026, shared, “Working in the Security Operations Center has been wonderful since the first day. It's a great team that motivates me to continuously learn and everyone works together to ensure that UNF is always secure from outside threats. I'm grateful for the opportunity because it's helping me prepare to be an information security professional and the guidance I receive on a daily basis will be invaluable when I take the next steps in my career.” 

Noah Sibley, Class of 2025, shared, “Having this experience in the Security Operations Center will significantly enhance job prospects post-college beyond just holding a degree. By the time I graduate, I will have accumulated several years of professional IT experience, courtesy of UNF!” 

Michael Petrovic, Class of 2026, shared, “Working in the SOC has given me significant hands-on experience with enterprise-level tools, enhancing my technical skills, professionalism, and teamwork in a real-world environment. Additionally, it has deepened my understanding of concepts from my current classes.” 

Jadyn Scott, Class of 2026, shared, “My experience at the Student-Led SOC has significantly boosted my confidence by providing insight into the responsibilities of a full-time position. Applying the skills learned in class to real-world scenarios has been an eye-opening and irreplaceable opportunity, enhancing my practical knowledge and professional growth.” 

Tech-Driven Research: Advancing Knowledge and Innovation 

The Research Technology Services (RTS) team plays a pivotal role in this mission by providing specialized assistance that enhances the capabilities of our research community. 

Comprehensive Support Services 

RTS offers an array of services tailored to meet the diverse needs of our researchers: 

• Research Technology Support: Consultations for current or future projects, assistance with research lab technology, support for high-performance computing (HPC) and GPU processing, and the creation and maintenance of research servers. 

• Research Grant Support: Guidance during pre-award grant proposals and assistance with post-award implementation to ensure technological requirements are met. 

• Geospatial Technology Support: Expertise in GIS project consultation and collaboration, ArcGIS software support and training, data collection and visualization, drone image collection, GPS support, and the development of virtual tours. 

Highlighted Research Projects 

Our investments have facilitated numerous innovative research projects across various disciplines: 

• Atomic Lego Lab: This project focuses on molecular science, utilizing advanced laboratory equipment to explore atomic structures and interactions. 

• Golf Cart Traffic Study: A study analyzing traffic patterns and safety concerning golf cart usage, providing insights for urban planning and transportation safety. 

• Kingsley Plantation Shoreline Restoration: An environmental project aimed at restoring and preserving the shoreline of the historic Kingsley Plantation, employing sustainable practices and community engagement. 

• Webb Coastal Research Station: A dedicated facility for coastal research, supporting studies on marine ecosystems, climate change, and coastal resilience. 

“We really appreciate all the help we’ve received from the RTS team in building and supporting the Laboratory of Applied Biomechanics and Engineering. A special thanks to Jodi Newton for going above and beyond to keep our equipment running smoothly during data collection.”

—Dr. Guilherme Cesar

Adobe Creative Campus

In 2024, UNF strengthened its commitment to innovation, digital literacy, and student success by partnering with Adobe to become an Adobe Creative Campus. This initiative underscores UNF’s dedication to fostering community partnerships that enhance educational opportunities and workforce readiness, aligning with the university’s strategic plan. By integrating industry-leading Adobe Creative Cloud tools across disciplines, UNF empowers students, faculty, and staff to develop cutting-edge digital skills that are essential in today’s rapidly evolving job market. As an Adobe Creative Campus, UNF not only ensures that students graduate with highly marketable skills but also reinforces its role as a regional hub for creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship. This initiative directly supports the university’s strategic goals of enhancing student success, deepening community engagement, and advancing UNF’s reputation as a leader in digital transformation. By embedding creative technology into curricula and community programs, UNF is equipping future professionals with the ability to think critically, communicate visually, and solve complex problems, an investment that strengthens both the university and the broader Jacksonville community. 

Board of Governors 

The UNF ITS team, in partnership with other campus partners, played a role in the success of the 2025 Board of Governors meeting hosted at UNF in January. While the event itself spanned only a few days, ITS spent months meticulously preparing to ensure a seamless technological experience for board members, university leadership, and attendees. Our work began well in advance, assessing the venue’s infrastructure, upgrading and stress-testing networks, and ensuring that all audiovisual equipment met the highest standards for reliability and clarity. We collaborated closely with event organizers, facilities teams, and external vendors to address potential challenges before they could arise, conducting multiple rounds of testing and contingency planning.

Once the Board of Governors arrived, the ITS team remained on-site and on-call, providing real-time technical support for presentations, video conferencing, and secure, high-speed internet access for all participants. Whether troubleshooting unexpected issues, fine-tuning microphone and display setups, or ensuring confidential data remained protected, the team’s behind-the-scenes efforts were essential in allowing the meeting to proceed successfully.

Positioning UNF for the Future: UNF's Workday Transformation 

Following two years of meticulous planning, UNF successfully launched Workday Financials and HCM on July 1, 2024. This major milestone marks UNF's integration into a group of Florida SUS institutions leveraging the Workday platform, a comprehensive solution empowering faculty and staff to manage employment, finances, payroll, and more. 

The transition to Workday represents one of UNF's largest-scale IT implementations to date, strategically positioning the university for future growth by modernizing our ERP system. This initiative retired nine third-party systems and over 100 custom solutions developed over the past two decades, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency. 

The launch received widespread campus support, including comprehensive training for over 1,880 faculty and staff prior to go-live facilitated by the Center for Professional Development and Training (CPDT). Immediate post-launch support involved handling nearly 1,900 help tickets and over 600 phone calls through dedicated IT teams and a temporary call center. Key to the success of this transition was the OspreyRising Ambassador Network, comprising campus contacts who played a pivotal role in ensuring a smooth go-live experience.  

Since the launch, ITS has continued to integrate multiple enterprise applications, ensuring seamless functionality and ongoing enhancements for the Workday system. Collaborative efforts with campus partners such as Human Resources, Controller’s Office, Accounts Payable, Procurement, Payroll, and University Budget have been instrumental in supporting this transformation. 

In Fall 2024, ITS established the Workday Operations team, dedicated to maintaining and improving the platform's performance. This team focuses on delivering technical support, managing identities, and generating data reports to meet the diverse needs of our university community. For more information on UNF's Workday journey, visit Workday Operations at UNF. 

ServiceNow in Action

ITS is committed to delivering efficient, data-driven service management that supports the UNF community. Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) is one of the most outwardly facing components of ITS, ensuring that our services are well-designed and seamlessly delivered. 

In 2024, we made significant strides in advancing ITSM by expanding the ServiceNow platform, launching new customer service management solutions, and strengthening knowledge management across the university. As part of our ongoing efforts, ITS is developing a comprehensive service management strategy and roadmap to further optimize ITSM at UNF. 

Key Initiatives and Achievements

• Expanded Platform and Customer Service Management – ServiceNow has been fully implemented as a university-wide service management tool, now supporting Human Resources, University Planning and Budget, the Controller’s Office, Accounts Payable, and Marketing and Communications to streamline their service requests and improve efficiency. 

• Knowledge Framework for Service Excellence – ITS created and implemented a structured knowledge framework to aggregate, review, and maintain up-to-date information. This framework supports a growing number of knowledge bases, including Workday Operations. 

• Improved Self-Service – ITS expanded the ServiceNow self-service portal, giving faculty, staff, and students easier access to knowledge bases, automated support, and faster service request resolution. 

• Enhanced IT Asset Management – Strengthened asset tracking and reporting capabilities to improve resource allocation, lifecycle management, and cost efficiency. 

• Integrated Project & Change Management – ITS incorporated project and change management processes into ServiceNow to ensure smoother transitions, better collaboration, and minimized service disruptions. 

• Evaluated & Optimized the Configuration Management Database (CMDB) – This initiative enhances visibility into IT assets, dependencies, and service reliability across the university. 

Looking Ahead

As we continue optimizing ServiceNow and ITSM, ITS remains dedicated to delivering customer-focused, innovative, and data-driven solutions that align with UNF’s strategic priorities—enhancing student success, operational efficiency, and university-wide effectiveness. Moving forward, we will further expand automation, analytics, and self-service capabilities to ensure an efficient, responsive, and future-ready IT organization. 

Cybersecurity at UNF 

Information Security is a cornerstone of the ITS division, ensuring the protection of all systems, networks, hardware, software, digital assets, and data. ITS recognizes the critical importance of safeguarding data and preventing unauthorized access and is committed to implementing robust security practices. 

The Office of Information Security and Cyberinfrastructure plays a pivotal role in these efforts and protects the university's information assets and infrastructure through a combination of proactive measures and responsive strategies. This includes monitoring and managing cybersecurity threats, providing training and awareness programs, and collaborating with various stakeholders to ensure a secure digital environment.  

During National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ITS joined eight other Florida universities for the Cyber Bowl, an online game designed to test defenses against cyberthreats. In October 2024, participants tackled five challenging questions to help their school win the cybersecurity championship. UNF had a total of 1,087 players participate, and the competition saw over 20,000 entries from all nine schools. 

In conjunction with the implementation of Workday, ITS deployed a new Identity and Access Management (IAM) system.  The new system automates and streamlines user access management, reduces the risk of human error, and ensures that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information.  An updated IAM solution helps future-proof our infrastructure and allows UNF to quickly adapt to evolving security needs. 

Future efforts to protect UNF include developing a comprehensive risk management strategy, updating and documenting disaster recovery strategies (including testing), and improving digital literacy across the university. Additionally, ITS is focused on producing thorough documentation, developing effective policies, and creating a security roadmap to optimize security within the organization. 

These efforts are essential to maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of UNF's digital assets, ensuring that the university remains a secure and resilient institution in the face of evolving cyber threats. 

ITS Staff Achievements at UNF

In 2024, ITS represented UNF and showcased our Osprey experience and expertise as leaders within our field. We proudly recognize the outstanding contributions of the following ITS team members who have shared their knowledge through presentations, publications, and awards. By sharing their ideas at national and regional conferences, publishing their work and teaching classes, and engaging in service to the University, these individuals have demonstrated a commitment to excellence and a passion for the field of technology.

Presentations, Achievements and Awards 

Our ITS Staff are committed to excellence. This is a non-exhaustive list of our team's significant accomplishments in 2024.

• Donnie Cole: Presidential SPOT Award Winner (Spring 2024-Fall 2024) 
• April Johnson, Kendall Wheeler, Brenna Smith, Jen Muller: 2024 Slate Icon Awards, Best Internal Portal (myNest Project Team) 
• Catrina Ashley: Elected A&P Association Secretary 
• George Boston: Elected A&P Association President
• Irena Jusic: Single-handedly migrated the university housing software, StarRez, to the cloud
• Megan Kuehner: UNF Excellence Award Winner, for demonstrating exceptional leadership and dedication through the Osprey Rising Workday Implementation project 
• Brian Verkamp: Florida Technology Council CIO of the Year and Jacksonville Business Journal’s Jacksonville’s 2024 Ultimate Tech Leaders 
• Jason Miciano, Drew Keck: Automated the collection of Canvas CD2 data making information more accurate and accessible
• Erin McKillip: Played a crucial role in the FAFSA updates ensuring minimal delays in funding to students
• Ally Tween, Aronette Gebhard: Successfully implemented CMDB vulnerability response in ServiceNow
• Hiba Husein, Jason Lewis: Worked over Holiday break to complete upgrades to the UNF firewall
• Evan Baker: Passed the SC-300 exam and earned his Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate certification.

Coming Together: ITS Events

In the spirit of fostering a Culture of Care, and promoting a sense of belonging amongst our team, the ITS Social Committee hosts a number of events throughout the year.

• ITS Cornhole Tournament - May through June 2024
• Mario Kart Tournament - August 2024
• Potluck/Chili Cookoff - October 11, 2024 
• Halloween Costume Contest & Candy - October 31, 2024 
• Thanksgiving Luncheon - November 22, 2024 
• ITS Wine and Cheese - December 13, 2024