Fifteen Kean University students and recent graduates this summer are studying for cybersecurity certifications in a virtual pilot program offered free of charge through the University’s Center for Cybersecurity

Mierzwa, Stanley

English

Kean Digital Learning Commons

Kean University Kean Digital Learning Commons Center for Cybersecurity Open Educational Resources Summer 2022 Kean University Students Preparing for Cybersecurity Certification Exams in Free Summer Program Stanley Mierzwa Kean University, smierzwa@kean.edu Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/cybersecurity  Part of the Computer Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Mierzwa, Stanley, "Kean University Students Preparing for Cybersecurity Certification Exams in Free Summer Program" (2022). Center for Cybersecurity. 9. https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/cybersecurity/9 This News Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Open Educational Resources at Kean Digital Learning Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Center for Cybersecurity by an authorized administrator of Kean Digital Learning Commons. For more information, please contact learningcommons@kean.edu. Kean University Students Preparing for Cybersecurity Certification Exams in FreeSummer ProgramTAMPA, FL, (August 10, 2022): Fifteen Kean University students and recent graduatesthis summer are studying for cybersecurity certifications in a virtual pilot program offeredfree of charge through the University’s Center for Cybersecurity.Kean, a public university located in Union, New Jersey, is an Academia Partner withEC-Council, a global cybersecurity education and certification organization. EC-Councildeveloped the “Essential Series” program to offer cybersecurity training materials andcertifications for individuals who wish to start entry-level careers in cybersecurity.The students, who are studying computer science, information technology and criminaljustice at Kean, are enrolled this summer in three certification courses – NetworkDefense Essentials, Ethical Hacking Essentials and Digital Forensics Essentials.“As a complement to a student’s academic coursework at Kean, a technical certificationcan be a valuable addition in the job market,” said Stan Mierzwa from the Kean Centerfor Cybersecurity. “Response from Kean students to the program was strong, and theirwillingness to take on extra coursework over the summer shows how dedicated they areto building their knowledge and skills in the cybersecurity field.”To launch the pilot program, the Center for Cybersecurity collaborated with Kean’sOffice of Transformational Learning and Office of Computer and Information Services tomake the materials available online.“This is a great example of how institutions can proactively engage students frommultiple degrees and concentrations with cross-disciplinary cybersecurity skills thatalign to the standard work roles,” said Wesley Alvarez, director of academics atEC-Council. “We see more interest to upskill students in these critical cybersecuritydomains across finance, criminal justice, business and other fields. The EssentialsSeries offers Academia partners an opportunity to do this completely free.”Khanjan Patel, of Roselle Park, graduated this year from Kean with his master’s degreein computational science and engineering after receiving his bachelor’s degree from theUniversity the year before. He said the flexibility of the online course appealed to him."The EC-Council’s free cybersecurity training has helped me develop my knowledge inthe fundamental concepts of Network Security. I can watch the course at my own paceand at a convenient time,” he said. “I recommend this course to anyone who is astudent or a professional who wants to get into cybersecurity as the field is growingexponentially."Yisel Domenech, of Bayonne, who graduated from Kean in May with a degree inInformation Technology, said the program has given her an edge in a competitive jobmarket.“The certifications will definitely open the door to more job opportunities for recentgraduates like myself,” Domenech said.At the end of the summer, the students will be prepared to take certification exams. Allstudents involved in the pilot program will be sent a survey to assess the program, andthe survey results will be used to further develop the program.Yolanda Sanchez, of Elizabeth, a Kean senior studying informationtechnology/cybersecurity, said she is grateful for the free cybersecurity training.“I can’t wait to use the knowledge I gained in the near future!” she said.-30-About Kean UniversityFounded in 1855, Kean University is one of the largest metropolitan institutions ofhigher education in the region, with a richly diverse student, faculty and staff population.Kean continues to play a key role in the training of teachers and is a hub of educational,technological and cultural enrichment serving more than 16,000 students. TheUniversity’s six undergraduate colleges offer more than 50 undergraduate degrees overa full range of academic subjects. The Nathan Weiss Graduate College offers sixdoctoral degree programs and more than 80 options for graduate study leading tomaster’s degrees, professional diplomas or certifications. With campuses in Union,Toms River, Jefferson and Manahawkin, New Jersey, and Wenzhou, China, KeanUniversity furthers its mission by providing an affordable and accessible world-classeducation. Visit www.kean.edu.About EC-Council AcademiaThe EC-Council Academia partner program, led by EC-Council’s academic division,offers free partnership opportunities to academic institutions globally. Thesepartnerships establish cybersecurity education ecosystems that support students,alumni, faculty, employees, and communities. Through established partnerships,academic institutions can access extensive discounts on content, evaluate learningresources, offer student-stackable credentials, initiate faculty development, providescholarships, and facilitate cyber competitions. To date, EC-Council supports upwardsof 2,500 education networks and institutions globally, with over 1,000 recentlyparticipating since the relaunch of the academia program in 2018. EC-Council workswith many top cybersecurity programs worldwide, including Western GovernorsUniversity, the University of Maryland Global Campus, the NATO School, many NationalCenters of Academic Excellence, statewide education systems, and many ministryinitiatives. EC-Council’s Academia partner program helps certify tens of thousands ofstudents annually with industry-leading credentials. For more information on EC-CouncilAcademia, please visit www.eccouncil.org/academia.

Kean University Students Preparing for Cybersecurity Certification Exams in Free Summer Program

https://digitalcommons.kean.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1008&context=cybersecurity

Kean University Students Preparing for Cybersecurity Certification Exams in Free Summer Program

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Kean Digital Learning Commons