A new path to Virginia Tech and cybersecurity for students in Northern Virginia | VTx

Svetlana Filiatreau, director of BIT-Cyber, said locating this section of BIT-Cyber ​​in Northern Virginia should help harness the strengths of the area's population.

"This diverse group of immigrants in Virginia has the potential to solve global cyber threats if we deliberately incorporate this uniqueness into our work with industry," said Filiatreau.

Jessica Gulick '07, founder and CEO of cybersecurity marketing and cyber games company Katzcy and commissioner for the US Cyber ​​Games, was a guest speaker for the program. She said it is important that the program's students embrace its diversity and use it as a strength.

“Cybersecurity is different from IT [information technology] that there's more to it than just managing security policies. It's about understanding behavior online. It's about understanding why people do certain things and what they're trying to get from them, ”Gulick said. "When it comes to understanding people, your diverse perspective - the culture you know, the languages ​​you speak - really adds value to the cybersecurity community."

Gulick said creating a bridge between NOVA and Virginia Tech will be particularly beneficial to this diverse population that the program seeks to attract.

“Community colleges play a very important role in our communities because they are very local. There's less intimidation, they're affordable, and they're very supportive of students who also work full-time, ”said Gulick. "And these are often some of the hardest-working, mature students you will find."

As part of the Virginia Community College System, NOVA consists of six campuses and four centers in Northern Virginia. The new agreement will strengthen the already strong relationship between NOVA and the university.

"This exciting new partnership with Virginia Tech builds on our longstanding transfer agreements with the university and improves access to undergraduate degrees in the high-growth, high-demand IT space," said Anne M. Kress, President of NOVA. “This transfer pipeline aims to meet the region's need for diverse technology talent by allowing our students to continue their education and graduate from Virginia Tech while staying close to home. We thank the university for providing our great NOVA students with this new opportunity and look forward to expanding the partnership between NOVA and Virginia Tech. "

Another beneficial aspect of the BIT cyber program is the accessibility of the robust network of internship, career and networking opportunities. The program requires 300 hours of work experience, and professors and counselors are constantly providing resources and guidance to better prepare students for working life.

“Virginia Tech helps students find jobs after they graduate, and the school does a lot of great things like meeting recruiters and when there's an opportunistic event they let us know,” said Gokcen Matthews. a student of the first cohort of BIT-Cyber. "You are always supportive and I love it."

Originally from Turkey, Matthews got married and moved to the United States, where she quickly started her own business 11 years ago. She recently made the decision to earn a bachelor's degree in business informatics and continue her education in cybersecurity. The partnership between NOVA and Virginia Tech allowed her a smooth transition into the program that helped her achieve her educational goals.

"I'm proud of myself," said Matthews. “I am a 41 year old mother with two young children. Achieving a degree while parenting is not easy, but once you have made a decision the universe conspires to make it a reality! I can't wait until the day I graduate and see my kids proudly cheer my name as I walk to get my diploma. "

Tusher is expected to be among the first group of students Virginia Tech to sign through the new partnership this spring. He echoed Matthews and said the support from the Virginia Tech faculty was invaluable.

“Everyone is very helpful,” said Tusher. “What I noticed about Virginia Tech are the professors, and everyone reacts very quickly when you answer. It is really remarkable that there is always a resource when you need help. "

He said he believed the partnership would prove particularly helpful in opening new avenues to Virginia Tech for other immigrant students living in Northern Virginia.

“When we grow up in an immigrant family and then move here, it is difficult for us to leave our families. The family is a great support to us, so there are many students who cannot go to Blacksburg because of that, ”said Tusher.

Filiatreau said a critical component of the program is providing additional support to help students overcome any barriers related to cultural differences. They also hoped that additional participation from neighboring industrial partners could result in experiential learning being gained through paid training. This could help to relieve students who also work full-time, while at the same time giving industrial partners early access to this diverse student body and strengthening their own cyber workforce.

"It's all part of figuring out how to make higher education accessible to non-traditional students," Filiatreau said. “This is an opportunity to serve our historically underserved population and fulfill our land grant mission. I hope that we can become a driver of innovation in the region and create a pipeline of highly qualified, diverse cybersecurity talent through the seamless integration of curricular learning and work-based experience. "

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