UMO’s Katie Broom Takes Lead on Applied Business Project
February 16, 2026
Contact: Rhonda Jessup, Director of Public Relations
MOUNT OLIVE – When Katie Broom arrived at the University of Mount Olive (UMO), she brought with her a competitive drive shaped on the lacrosse field and a curiosity for solving complex problems. What she did not expect was to discover a passion at the intersection of cybersecurity and accounting, or to find herself helping launch a real-world business partnership while still an undergraduate.
Broom, a senior cybersecurity major with an accounting minor, is set to graduate in May 2026. A native of Houston, Texas, she transferred to UMO after spending a year at Colorado State University-Pueblo, where she was first introduced to cybersecurity while competing as a collegiate lacrosse player. After transferring to UMO to continue her athletic career, she moved from business management into the University’s newly established cybersecurity program. Accounting courses required within the major sparked an unexpected interest, leading her to add the minor.
“I enjoy the problem-solving side of cybersecurity, but I quickly realized how much I liked understanding how financial systems work,” Broom said. “Seeing how those areas connect has really shaped how I think about my future.”
Broom says UMO’s smaller class sizes and accessible faculty have allowed her to engage more directly with course material and feel comfortable pursuing opportunities outside the classroom. That approach led to her involvement with UMO’s Business and Financial Solutions Center, where she is working with Seegars Fence Company as a Student Project Lead. In that role, Broom helps manage and develop microlearning modules used for employee training. She coordinates with faculty mentors, a student teammate, and company representatives to guide the project from planning through delivery.
Her week includes strategy meetings with the UMO project team, visits to Seegars in Goldsboro, and time spent developing content for review and implementation. Broom said working with a live client changed how she approached her work.
“When you know a company is relying on what you create, you take more ownership,” she said. “It pushed me to think differently about communication, deadlines, and follow-through.”
Outside the classroom, Broom is an active member of the women’s lacrosse team and was recently voted captain. She says balancing athletics, coursework, and professional responsibilities has required discipline and structure, but it has also reinforced habits she relies on every day. “I have had to reprioritize how I use my time,” Broom said. “Between school, work, and lacrosse, my schedule stays full, and communication matters with Seegars, my professors, and my coaches. Getting comfortable speaking up in professional settings has been the biggest challenge, and it is one that has helped me to grow the most.”
Broom credits faculty mentors for encouraging her involvement and trusting her with professional-level responsibilities, noting that those relationships have played a key role in her willingness to step into unfamiliar roles. “Dr. Cwik and Dr. Langley have both encouraged me to get involved and they have trusted me with meaningful work,” she said. “That support has given me the confidence to step into new roles.”
Looking ahead, her experience with Seegars has influenced her plans after graduation. She intends to pursue a career in accounting and has developed an interest in project-based work, with long-term plans that may include opening her own firm.
“When I first got to UMO, my goal was simply to be more involved,” Broom said. “That started with Dr. Paul Cwik encouraging me to join Ethics Bowl, which turned out to be one of the best decisions I made at UMO. It helped me develop skills I use every day, and it changed how I see myself. I’m proud of the confidence I’ve built and the belief that I can step into whatever comes next.”
The University of Mount Olive is a private institution rooted in the liberal arts tradition with defining Christian values. The University was founded by the Convention of Original Free Will Baptists. For more information, visit www.umo.edu.
