🔍The Unicorn, the OG, and the Academy

By Mrs. OSINT (Guest Writer)

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This was reprinted with permission from the author. The original article can be found at https://www.mrsosint.com/the-unicorn-the-og-and-the-academy

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The Unicorn🦄

When I first learned about the Academy, I was taking a Digital Forensics course through Purdue University NW's Cybersecurity Workforce Certification Training (CWCT) program. My forensics professor kept the class time interesting, and we were excited to receive a visitor before our course finished. The visitor gave a small presentation about removing personal data from public sources to keep yourself safe. He ended the presentation by sharing the opportunity to attend the OSINT Academy to learn more. As someone who had previously wanted to serve with LE, I saw this as an opportunity to put my skills to use. I was a crime junkie before it became popular.

I'm not going to lie; I was very intrigued...I wanted IN.

Whatever this was.....

Little did I know what the 8 weeks of the Academy would bring.

Let's call the visitor the Unicorn.

The OG👑

The Unicorn had told me about the mystery woman who led the Academy.

At first, I was like, "Who is she?" and " What is this course all about?"

I had done OSINT before and had taught myself how to use different resources, but this was different. There was a type of secrecy involved that made it so appealing. I looked for her on LinkedIn and found that she had tremendous experience in the field, but I had never heard of her. Seeing a woman succeed in the intelligence field—AMAZING.

Let’s call the mystery woman, the OG.

I was excited to apply and hoped to be admitted into the Academy.

If you haven't picked on it yet, the Unicorn and the OG are the professors.

The Academy🏫

I received my acceptance email into the Academy a few weeks after applying. I was very thankful for the opportunity to participate because some classmates weren't accepted.

Now, I can only share a few details about the Academy...

However, the 8 weeks were intense from start to finish.

There were many times when I thought I knew what was happening, but I did not.

Let's just say, question everything.

It's OSINT.

What do you need to know???

In the Academy, you perform OSINT on actual targets.

Imagine you're an analyst from Day 1, and you must investigate a high-profile target.

(Calm down, I said, imagine....)

Take it seriously, but also have fun!

Note: my classmates in the August 2023 course were the BEST! (I said what I said )

The first important aspect of the OSINT Academy is that it sets you up to be a professional analyst. The second important aspect is that the people teaching you genuinely care and have years of experience.

I would have to say it is by far one of the BEST courses out there for OSINT.

Let’s keep this blog interesting. OSINT CHALLENGE!

Can you tell me who the OG and the Unicorn are? Find me on LinkedIn and submit your answer via DM.

If you’d like more information on the OSINT Academy, and how to apply: https://osintacademy.com/

Thanks for reading!

-Mrs. OSINT

Mrs. OSINT started as a way for me to document my journey into open-source intelligence. When I was first learning, I struggled to find resources that were both beginner-friendly and practical, so I decided to create my own. I wanted a space to share what I was learning, showcase my work, and connect with others who were just as curious about OSINT. Over time, the blog grew into more than just a portfolio—it became a place for challenges, tools, and insights that help others sharpen their skills. My goal is to make OSINT more approachable, hands-on, and engaging for those who are just getting started or looking to level up.

Blog: https://www.mrsosint.com