Senior Athlete Highlight: Alex Payne

By Katherine Kloepping

With graduation approaching, I had the opportunity to interview Alex Payne (‘22), a senior from San Antonio, Texas. As he is getting ready to graduate, here is a look at what his time was like here at Southern Virginia University and what his next steps are.

Have you enjoyed your time here at Southern Virginia University?

I have definitely enjoyed my time here at Southern Virginia. I feel I have made a lot of valuable connections with people all around campus.

What is your next step after graduation?

After graduation I will continue to work in the SVU IT Department until August. In August, I will start my remote job as a SOC(Security Operations Center) Analyst for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It’s an entry-level cyber security position that deals with the active detection and response to cyber attacks.

How has your time here at Southern Virginia helped prepare you for after college?

I feel that Southern Virginia has prepared me for life after college in a number of ways. The values of consistent hard-work and self-discipline were practiced daily with rugby, while I was able to develop a lot of interpersonal and technical skills working in the IT office. The value of learning is also going to be crucial in my future career. Cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field that requires a broad range of knowledge. Even though I will be done with school (for now), I will always have to be learning and staying up-to-date with the latest technologies and threats.

Do you think that you will continue doing anything with rugby after college?

I will most likely find a local men’s club to play with for fun, but I do not plan on being involved with anything too intensive. Rugby is a sport that I love, and that I have gained so much from. I will always be involved in rugby one way or another, but right now there are just other aspects in my life that deserve more time and attention than rugby does.

What are you most excited for after graduation?

I am mostly excited to get my career going, and to have more time to spend at home with my wife. Without rugby and school I am going to have a lot of free time, so I am really looking forward to finding new hobbies.