CCN Successes
Each year, we get word of great news and exciting achievements happening at our Convergence College Network (CCN) schools. As we get ready for the summer and the fall semester, we want to share with you a few such stories we received in the past year.
Seminole State College of Florida was named best online bachelor’s degree in cyber security by Best Degree Programs. The site reviewed 125 accredited colleges and universities that offered online bachelor degrees in information systems, cyber security and other related degree profiles, then selected the top 30. Seminole was ranked #1 for also being the most affordable degree in cybersecurity from the list. The article stated that Seminole has also earned recognition from major publications like U.S. News and World Report in recent years.
Fox Valley Technical College’s IT program was recognized in Fox Valley’s FOCUS magazine for their approach to technical education and training. The article featured a business leader from Thrivent Financial who serves on Fox Valley’s industry-based IT Advisory Committee, otherwise known to the CCN as a BILT, Business and Industry Leadership Team. Additionally, one of Fox Valley’s information technology students was featured in the Student & Alumni Spotlight. This campaign is similar to what the Convergence Technology Center has been doing with monthly student and alumni features from the entire CCN. Fox Valley’s periodic Student Spotlight features a student from a variety of career programs and majors, such as marketing, nursing, paralegal and more. Carolyn Becker, a double major student in Software Development and Web Development & Design, was selected as the feature in fall 2016. Read the article and watch the video here.
Kirkwood Community College created an “I Am IT” promotion. This campaign featured a series of videos highlighting various professionals in IT (Information Technology) careers, both on types of IT careers and profiles on specific IT professionals. See the YouTube channel with all the videos from this promotional campaign here.
Clark State Community College hosted two unique events related to cybersecurity. One recent event, open to the public and featuring presentations by faculty and students alike, offered an overview of cybersecurity threats and strategies to protect yourself from hackers. This event was designed for businesses and residents of Clark County. Learn more here. Faculty also prepared a special, separate presentation on cybersecurity career opportunities for local high school teachers and counselors to better inform and prepare their colleagues and students. You can view this 10-minute presentation here:
Both events delivered important information but were also designed as recruiting tools for Clark State’s cybersecurity program.
Houston Community College (HCC) was designated a National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense 2-Year Education (CAE2Y) by the NSA and Homeland Security. This designation serves to meet the increasing need and critical shortage of professionals in cybersecurity with targeted program criteria in higher education to contribute to the protection of the National Information Infrastruction. HCC received the official designation letter in March with an invitation to a reception to present certificates in June. When HCC shared the news with us, they credited that without Working Connections and the CCN, it would not have been possible. “Over the span of more than ten years HCC faculty have been attending WC. The ability to add a Microsoft IT academy, VMware Academy, Palo Alto Academy, Cisco academy and EMC academic alliance ETC came from relationships and “train the trainer” courses offered up at WC. HCC implemented NDG NetLab after taking several courses with NetLab and seeing the benefits afforded to students. Having the ability to network with faculty, peers and industry educational partners was instrumental to our designation as a CAE2Y. The letter provided by the CCN (Mark Dempsey, CTC Assistant Director) as to our involvement as a BILT member was invaluable as this was part of the criteria to be selected.” Congratulations HCC!