Students place second in international cybersecurity competition
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—A team of four Western Michigan University students placed second in the undergraduate division of the 2025 Social Engineering competition at Temple University in Philadelphia.
The team of Caden Carr, Nick Ford, Raiyan and Evelyn Ortiz-Martinez, all members of the WMU Bronco Cybersecurity Club, was among 27 participating undergraduate teams from universities internationally.
For the competition, the team took on the role of an external cybersecurity firm tasked with identifying potential vulnerabilities in a simulated organization, focusing on how human behavior intersects with information security. The team’s semester-long efforts culminated in documented attack paths, collected artifacts, and a professional threat report outlining findings and mitigation strategies.
“The competition specifically demonstrated how AI can be used to systematically model attack vectors and develop sophisticated penetration strategies—mirroring methodologies employed by advanced threat actors targeting enterprise systems today,” says Raiyan, a computer information systems major and cybersecurity minor. “Working together we developed countermeasures that mirror techniques used by intelligence agencies to defend critical infrastructure.”
Social engineering uses persuasion strategies to influence individuals to take an action that may or may not be in their best interest and is often used to conduct reconnaissance, which is the first stage of a cyberattack.
“We all brought individual skills to the table and together we generated success,” says Carr, a computer information systems major from Hudsonville, Mich. “I think WMU stood out because our team has excellent communication skills and great teamwork.“
Participating in challenges such as the social engineering competition helps prepare cybersecurity students for real world problem solving applicable in today’s fast-evolving industries. In addition to applying knowledge from coursework, the team was guided by faculty advisor Katie Marshall, faculty specialist in cybersecurity; participated in training from the National Cyber League; and practiced exploitation techniques OWASP Juice Shop to sharpen their skills prior to the competition.
"The Bronco Cybersecurity Club’s semester workshops gave us hands on experience in scripting, behavioral analysis scenarios, and open-source tools and intelligence workflows. We also reviewed previous case studies to analyze flag acquisition strategies and finetuned our pretexting playbooks accordingly,” adds Raiyan.
Participating in the competition also extended team members’ understanding of their field. “I learned that the cybersecurity field has a side to it that isn’t technical in nature,” says Ford, a cybersecurity major from Tecumseh, Mich. “Social engineering is a great track for those interested in the human hacking side of cybersecurity.”
“I’ve learned that no matter how much you prepare, rehearse or anticipate every possible scenario, a situation can still throw you a curveball,” adds Carr. “That’s why adaptability and readiness for the unexpected are just as important as preparation itself.”
Ortiz-Martinez added experience to the team. This was the second time she earned accolades at the event, having placed second in 2023, with alumnus Kane Greer, B.S.’24. This year capped her time at Western.
“As my last competition before graduation, I couldn't have asked for a better way to end my semester,” says Ortiz-Martinez, from Chelsea, Mich., who graduated with a B.S. in Cybersecurity this year.
To learn more about cybersecurity programs at WMU, visit wmich.edu/cybersecurity.
For more WMU news, arts and events, visit WMU News.