JMU student helps local school division stay connected and secure

As Rockingham County Public Schools upgrades and maintains critical technology systems, a James Madison University student is helping ensure classrooms stay connected and secure. 

Will Jedrzejczak, an information technology major, has supported the division’s technology operations since August 2025 through the Madison Community Scholars program. Working alongside the division’s technology team, he assists with projects that keep school networks running smoothly across the county. 

His work has included helping configure network switches and routers, organizing equipment, and assisting with infrastructure installations inside school buildings. These systems help support internet access and network connectivity used by students, teachers and staff across the division.    

“People think the internet just appears,” Jedrzejczak said. “But there’s a lot going on behind the scenes to make sure everything works. It’s rewarding knowing that the systems students and teachers rely on every day are running because of the work our team has done.”    

Jedrzejczak has also assisted with projects related to school safety and data analysis. He helped support the installation of updated security cameras across school buildings and worked with division staff to analyze student assessment data and organize it into reports.    

Katie LaPira, coordinator of community outreach and recruitment for Rockingham County Public Schools, said Jedrzejczak stood out from the start.    

“From the moment I met Will, he was engaged in our conversation and excited to learn more about Rockingham County Public Schools,” LaPira said. “He asked thoughtful questions and wanted to understand how his skills could support the work happening in our schools.”    

As Jedrzejczak’s role developed, he began assisting with a range of technical projects across the district. LaPira said his ability to collaborate and communicate with different teams was especially valuable.    

“In many conversations about today’s workforce, people talk about the importance of ‘power skills,’” LaPira said. “Will certainly has strong technical abilities, but what impressed me just as much was his ability to engage in meaningful conversations with a wide range of people. He is dependable, personable and always willing to take on new challenges.”    

Jedrzejczak said the experience has allowed him to apply skills from his coursework to real-world situations.    

“In class, assignments are structured and you know what the outcome will look like,” he said. “Working with the division is different because problems aren’t always clearly defined. You have to figure things out as you go.”    

Jedrzejczak will graduate in August but plans to participate in the May commencement ceremony. He will begin a career in the technology field after graduation while pursuing an online master’s degree in computer science at Georgia Tech.