Welcome to the College of Computing Newsletter! We’re thrilled to bring you the latest updates from our vibrant community. In this issue, coinciding with Cybersecurity Awareness Month, you’ll find plenty of insights into our cybersecurity initiatives. This includes a faculty spotlight on Dr. Samah Mansour, a trailblazer in the field, as well as exciting news from our student organization, Hackers Analyzing Threats (HAT), with President Logan Nommensen sharing updates from their recent projects.

We’re excited to announce that this April, College of Computing will see the largest graduating class of computer science and cybersecurity students. To support this remarkable milestone, we’re seeking nearly 40 industry-sponsored projects for our students. If you’re interested in sponsoring a project, please complete the form—projects are open for submission until December 31st—and our Applied Computing Institute Director, Jonathan Engelsma, and Institute for Cybersecurity Education and Research faculty, Dimitri Melissourgos, will be in touch within a week of the final submission date.

Thank you for being part of our ever-growing community as we continue to push the boundaries of computing together. Stay tuned for more opportunities, events, and stories that inspire the next generation of tech leaders.

Dr. Samah Mansour, cybersecurity graduate program director and assistant professor, empowers women in tech through her lifelong commitment to education and mentorship. From founding WiCyS She Secures to inspiring gender balance, she champions change.

Dr. Mansour has persevered through many challenges. Her first Ph.D. wasn’t in cybersecurity, but her drive for knowledge led her back to school seven years later to pursue a second Ph.D. in Computer Science, with a focus on Cybersecurity, at the University of Louisville. 

Learn more about Dr. Mansour and her story. 

Major: Cybersecurity & Computer Science
Year: Senior

In fifth grade, Logan Nommensen, a double major in Cybersecurity and Computer Science, was already learning how to code in Python. One of his teachers used technology extensively in the classroom, sparking Logan’s interest in creating simple, fun games.

Click here to read the full story and learn more about Naomi's journey and achievements!

College of Computing earns national cybersecurity designation

The College of Computing’s cutting-edge curriculum and faculty expertise in the advancement of cybersecurity has earned it a national designation from the National Security Agency. Dean Marouane Kessentini, Dr. Andrew Kalafut, and Dr. Samah Mansour accepted the National Centers of Academic Excellence-Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation during the National Cybersecurity Education Colloquium Conference in St. Louis, Missouri, on October 9. 

Learn more about the new designation. 

Faculty advice to stay safe online

There are a lot of ways your information can be compromised online, but there are also many things you can do to protect yourself. For Cybersecurity Awareness Month, The College of Computing collected an array of tips and tricks from our cybersecurity faculty you can implement today to make sure your information stays safe.

Learn more about ways to keep your information safe. 

College of Computing Cyber Range

During the spring of last year, the Cyber Range was introduced to GVSU’s Health Campus. After receiving NSA validation, a second Cyber Range was introduced to the Allendale Campus right before the summer of this year. Cybersecurity is more important today than ever before, and the GVSU College of Computing is doing its best to set students up to be successful in the field.

Learn more about our Cyber Range. 

Student organization to be part of the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition

This year, HAT will compete in the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, defending a fictional network against professional pentesters. Open to all experience levels, HAT offers a beginner-friendly environment for those eager to learn cybersecurity fundamentals.

Read more about HAT and their work. 

October Update: College of Computing in 5

GVSU's College of Computing hosted distinguished speakers, joined cybersecurity events, promoted combined degrees, excelled at a career fair, and engaged with leaders at the Michigan Cyber Summit.

Read more about the five things that happened in the college in October. 

Interested in sponsoring a lunch and learn or visiting campus to showcase your business? Email our Director of Internships & Career Development, Rodd Lowell, at lowellr@gvsu.edu.

Stay informed!

Keep current with the latest College of Computing news and events! 

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