Christopher Cook
Master of Science in Homeland Security Studies
Spilimbergo, Italy
This spring, Christopher Cook earned a Master of Science in Homeland Security Studies with a graduate certificate in critical infrastructure protection from Sam Houston State University. The graduate completed his degree entirely online in his home country of Italy and visited Huntsville, Texas, for the first time to walk the orange carpet at commencement.
Drawn to SHSU for its reputation in criminal justice education and its renowned research institutes, like the Institute for Homeland Security, Cook was eager to earn his graduate degree at a university with direct connections to the field and values that align with his own.
“SHSU offered one of the most comprehensive and applicable degree programs in the nation,” Cook said. “When I learned about the story of General Sam Houston, along with the university motto, ‘The measure of a Life is its Service,’ I found both to be not only inspirational but also in line with the ethical principles that I stand for in my daily life.”
Throughout his graduate studies, Cook appreciated the attentiveness of faculty and staff and the relevance of the coursework to the current national priorities and job market. While the program’s online curriculum was flexible enough to accommodate Cook’s needs, differences between American and Italian teaching and learning styles, as well as the seven-hour time difference, posed challenges.
“Having completed my educational journey in Italy from kindergarten to my bachelor’s degree, it was quite difficult to embark on a master’s degree without prior experience in the American education system and adapt to a different style and new expectations,” said Cook. “However, despite the 6,000-mile physical distance, the quality and effective organization of courses and the professors’ availability made my experience at SHSU very pleasant, smooth and enriching.”
For Cook, the unique learning opportunities, discussions with fellow students and interactions with the faculty he considers some of the best, will be what he misses most from his Bearkat journey.
Looking ahead, Cook plans to move to the United States and pursue a career with the Transportation Security Administration or Customs and Border Protection. In the meantime, he continues to serve as a deputy facility manager in Italy while he and his wife prepare to relocate across the globe.
“My ultimate objective is to be able to protect people and organizations that work for the good of their citizens,” Cook said.
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This article was originally published on Sam Houston State University's website.