Tyler Bever is no stranger to hard work. Now that he’s graduating from Illinois State University, one adjustment he’ll have to make is cutting back from working several part-time jobs to a single job as he begins his career.

“I’ve been known as a workaholic, so I’ve held a few jobs while at school,” he said. “I’ve been a part-time ISU student employee since freshman year when I started working as a student technician at ISU’s Endpoint Support. I worked there until my junior year when I transferred to our Information Security Office where I’ve worked as a cyber defense analyst since.”

In addition, Bever has interned virtually for two different federal government agencies since the start of his junior year. Last summer, his internship at BlueCross BlueShield led to a job offer in cybersecurity that he accepted. He’s also been involved with two registered student organizations (RSOs): the Student Government Association (SGA) and Alpha Kappa Psi (AKPsi), a professional co-ed business fraternity.  

Dean of Students Dr. Andy Morgan knows Bever from his SGA tenure, where he’s been instrumental in advocating for students, Morgan said.

“I’ve had the privilege of knowing Tyler for two years through his involvement in the Student Government Association, where he has served as a senator,” Morgan said. “Tyler is incredibly intelligent, a strong leader, an effective collaborator, and a strategic thinker—all while bringing an incredible sense of humor to his work.”

During his senior year, Bever was elected speaker of the General Assembly, where he led SGA meetings for senators, secretaries, and ex-officio members. In this role, he was responsible for organizing agendas for the biweekly meetings, ensuring they ran smoothly and efficiently.

Morgan said that during his senior year Bever also led the initiative to create Redbird Market, where Illinois State student-run businesses sell their goods on the Quad. 

“This event was so successful that the SGA plans to continue it at least on an annual basis,” Morgan said. “His leadership has had a lasting and meaningful impact on our campus community.”

Kacy Rader ’02, M.S. ’23, is coordinator of hospitality for Illinois State’s Event Management, Dining, and Hospitality. She met Bever through the SGA’s mentorship program, where he became one of her standout mentees.

“He’s energetic, passionate, intelligent, and genuinely kind,” Rader said. “Tyler has grown immensely over the years, and I am incredibly proud of his achievements. One of his notable accomplishments was bringing Narcan to campus groups, a project I was thrilled to support by helping him find the necessary resources.”

Like Morgan, Rader was impressed when Bever pioneered the first-ever Redbird Market, which allowed student entrepreneurs to highlight their talents and businesses to the campus community.

“Tyler has taught me so much, and I will miss him dearly,” she said. “It has been an honor to be his mentor and now his friend. Watching his journey has been a privilege, and I eagerly anticipate the amazing things he will accomplish in the future.”

Bever has great appreciation for both Morgan and Rader and said the time they spent guiding him to the finish line will benefit him for years to come.

“Their mentorship not only helped me find success at ISU but also shaped the kind of leader I hope to be in the future,” he said. “Their guidance gave me the confidence I need to grow as a leader and as a person. I truly don’t think I’d be where I am today without their support, and I’m incredibly thankful for all the advice, encouragement, and care they’ve shown me throughout these past few years.”

Bever, 22, a native of Libertyville, was looking to attend a reasonably priced college near home, and Illinois State checked those boxes. Plus, it offered a cybersecurity major.

“ISU was a perfect fit for me since I was focused on finding a school that was affordable and had a strong program for my major,” he said. “ISU is one of the few schools with a cybersecurity program that’s accredited by the National Security Agency as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity. That was a huge plus for me.”

Bever received multiple scholarships from Illinois State, which helped make his choice of schools easier. He was awarded the Robert Preston University Club Scholarship, the State Farm Cybersecurity Scholarship, and the Krishnamurthi Family Scholarship.

As commencement approaches, he feels well-prepared to start his career, thanks partly to classes taught by Dr. Dmitry Zhdanov, State Farm Endowed Chair in Cybersecurity in the School of Information Technology.

“Dr. Zhdanov has been one of the most impactful faculty members for me,” Bever said. “He’s trying to prepare cybersecurity students for the real world. His material and experience made it feel like I wasn’t there just to learn theory, but I was actually being trained for the ever-changing field of cybersecurity.”

Between SGA and AKPsi, Bever made some of his closest friends. And he’s been involved in important initiatives through both RSOs.     

“I’m proud to have led several projects that made a real impact on campus,” he said. “That includes educating hundreds of students on fentanyl overdose prevention and distributing Naloxone (Narcan), lobbying in Springfield for mental health days for college students and increased state funding for public institutions, pushing for a pragmatic approach to regulating AI on a university policy level, and hosting Redbird Market.”

Bever’s commencement plans include celebrating with his family.

“My dad, stepmom, and brother will be attending,” he said. “And my mom, who currently lives in Europe, is flying in for the weekend to be here.”

Before it’s time to get down to the business of working, Bever is taking a vacation with friends to Europe.

“A few weeks after that I’m moving to Chicago with my best friend,” he said. “I’ll be working at Health Care Service Corporation—also known as BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas—on their Cybersecurity Incident Response team. I’m genuinely excited to start working there.”

Even with all the excitement ahead, Bever said he’ll miss Illinois State, especially the people he’s met.

“This campus has introduced me to some of my closest friends, people I’ve shared some truly unforgettable memories with,” he said. “It’s something I’ll always carry with me and truly cherish.”

This story is one of a series of profiles featuring Redbirds who are graduating in May. For more information about how Illinois State is celebrating commencement, visit the Graduation Services website.