As he prepares to begin a highly coveted internship with FICO next month, Drake State student Andrew Jackson is taking a moment to reflect on the path that brought him here. A dual major in Computer Information Systems and Engineering Design, as well as a dedicated Drake State Ambassador, Jackson has made the most of his time on campus, whether studying in the library, connecting with fellow students, or representing the college at events across the state. We sat down with him to talk about his academic journey, the experiences that shaped his success, and what lies ahead as he takes this next step.

Can you introduce yourself and share the program you pursued at Drake State?

Hello, my name is Andrew Jackson, and I pursued Computer Information Systems under Ms. Lydia Owens and Mr. Chad Gross, who were two amazing instructors that helped me out in my academic and professional career. While I was in their department, I did an internship with NASA, and I really liked the mechanical engineering side of things. So, I…[pursued] an engineering design degree [as well].

How has your experience at Drake State prepared you for your upcoming internship with FICO? Are there any courses, projects, or previous experiences that played a key role?

We had the FICO Data Analytics Challenge, so last year [in] 2025, we [made] a fraud detection system which uses artificial intelligence and seeing how we can detect fraud and fraudulent transactions through banking services, so that’s what I learned the first year and this year we built a generative AI model, and I guess my success with the challenge really satisfied our mentors. This summer I will be working in San Diego, and hopefully I’ll learn something out of that cause everyone there is amazing. They all have doctorate degrees, and it’s super diverse, and it’s a very welcoming environment out there.

What makes you excited about Cyber Security?

What makes me happy about Cyber Security is [that] it’s constantly changing, one day you’re learning about something, and the next day that’s the past. I have ADHD and I can’t sit still, so having [something] constantly moving and learning new things…it’s amazing.

How instrumental would you say Drake been in your career development?

I owe everything to Drake State, in high school I was a very mediocre student, I made like Cs and Bs. Then it was my Fall semester, and I was just not doing good. I’m not trying to get emotional about it, but I got an email one night, I was this close to giving up. I wasn’t going to apply to college I was probably going to join the military or something. One December night I got a message from Azra Pepic, and she said I got put into the Jacob Frontier scholarship program. I was just a mediocre student, so I didn’t understand it at first, but just being seen and recognized really spoke to me and told me that I needed drive, to keep pushing, and keep going. That’s why I say yes to everything; you never know who’s watching!

What are you most looking forward to in your upcoming internship with FICO this summer?

This Summer I was selected for the FICO Data Analytics internship in San Diego, California. My mentors, Joe Murray and Quentin, were helpful with my success [during] the FICO analytics challenge, and they really helped me out. One night I got a message from Quentin to sign up for the internship, and I was unsure if I should have applied, but something in me told me I should…A few weeks later I was at the amusement park, and I got a call from Ms. Ashley, and she called me saying I got it…In about a week or two I’ll go to San Diego and move out there…I’m taking a leap of faith and hopefully it’s the right move and the right decision.

The internship is from the end of May to the middle of August, so I’ll be out there for about 2-2.5 months, and I’ll be learning from amazing people like Dr. Scott Zoldi. Who has around 300 patents, and hopefully he teaches me the process and I’ll learn.

This is my first time going past San Antonio, Texas, so I’ve never been out there [to the West Coast]. I’ve just been in Alabama my whole life… I’ve just been saying yes to everything while I was at Drake State, and you can’t go wrong if you always say yes.

As Andrew prepares to take on this exciting opportunity, the Drake State community couldn’t be prouder of all he has accomplished. His dedication, curiosity, and willingness to embrace every opportunity have set him apart, and they will undoubtedly continue to guide his success. We look forward to seeing all that he achieves in the months and years ahead, and we have no doubt that his future in the field is bright.

Interested in pursuing Computer Information Systems like Andrew? Click here to enroll now!