Q&A with John Kitchens
As an Army veteran, executive leader, entrepreneur and full-time student, John Kitchens brings a wealth of life and professional experience to the classroom. Now preparing to graduate with his Bachelor of Applied Science in Supervision and Management (BAS-SM) with a concentration in Cybersecurity Management, Kitchens reflects on his journey, his motivations and what lies ahead.
Q: What sparked your interest in the Cybersecurity BAS program?
Kitchens: I chose the Cybersecurity BAS program for several reasons. First, the curriculum aligns with my goal of getting back into a Senior Management or Executive position and expands upon my current knowledge and experience in the business world. Second, the Cybersecurity portion of the program gives excellent foundational knowledge which will allow me to pursue and obtain the certifications that I will need in order to have long term success in the ever-growing cybersecurity field.
Q: What made you decide to attend PHSC?
Kitchens: My initial purpose was to obtain my Associate in Arts (AA) in order to transfer to USF's Cybersecurity program. After my first semester I realized that PHSC offers a number of programs that are of interest to me. I found the BAS-SM with a concentration in Cybersecurity to be exactly what I was looking for. The campus locations are perfect; the faculty and staff are very easy to work with and have provided me with the knowledge that I need going forward. Taking all things into consideration, I decided to stay at PHSC and finish my BAS here.
Q: What has been your favorite experience, moment or topic in the program?
Kitchens: My favorite topics have been in the business management and technology portions of the courses. It is impossible for me to single out one specific thing. Each class, experience and subject has their own "stand out" moments. The most fulfilling times are when one course will build upon the information from a previous class, and you have the "a-ha" moment where everything comes together.
Q: Are there any instructors or staff you’d like to recognize?
Kitchens: There are a number of people that have truly made my experience at PHSC both successful and enjoyable: Dr. Cobb, Dr. Chapa and Professor Thomas all helped to teach me the information needed to be successful in my major.
Kitchens: Dr. Himelhoch, Professor Lovero, Professor Jordan, Professor Neeld, Professor Adams, Professor Sturdivant and James in the Academic Success Center have each had a profound effect on how I view things in our word. Their love and knowledge for their respective subjects have both reignited old and sparked new interests and helped me through difficult portions of my education.
Q: What is your educational background prior to PHSC?
Kitchens: I attended Mercer University in 1994, Clayton State University from 1999–2000 and Devry University in 2010.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your career journey?
Kitchens: I have had a very interesting career path that has taught me numerous lessons throughout my life. The first lesson being that I don't know everything and the most recent is that you can achieve long-term goals if you put your mind to it and ever give up. Finding the right career has taken me through the military, residential and commercial construction, to owning an IT Consulting Firm.
Kitchens: I had to shift gears in the early 2000's just to ensure that my family had food on the table and a roof over their heads, which took me into the finance industry where I worked my way up to the executive levels. Once again, the career evolution took me down the path of consulting mid-size corporations all over the country. Now I am back in school here at PHSC, have recently started another company, and I am truly looking forward to what the future might bring.
Q: What are your plans after graduation?
Kitchens: The absolute first thing that I will be doing is taking a cruise to relax and decompress, then spending quality time with my family over Christmas. At that point I will be jumping back into the professional world with an existing business as well as building my own company that I started while here at PHSC. I will also be working to continue increasing my knowledge through various certifications and ultimately plan on obtaining my MBA.
Q: When do you expect to graduate?
Kitchens: I expect to graduate at the end of the Fall 2026 semester, on December 10.
Q: What advice would you give to younger students?
Kitchens: I’d stress how important it is to stay in school, trust the process and not give up just because things get difficult. My life has taken me through a lot of interesting endeavors, but I have never lost sight of my goals. I started my career in computers and am now working my way back into that industry. Students today should know that it is ok to not know exactly what they want to do in life, that this is just a starting point and their path will branch many times throughout their life.
John Kitchens’ journey is a powerful reminder that education is not confined to one stage of life. With resilience, adaptability and determination, he continues to evolve — proving that it’s never too late to pursue new goals and redefine your future.