Top-ranked Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program prepares IU students for in-demand careers
Indiana University’s interdisciplinary Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program combines the technology of cybersecurity with the study of global policymaking, taking a practical approach to preparing students for careers where the two disciplines often intersect. Ranked in the country’s top 25 cybersecurity undergraduate programs, the joint degree between the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering and the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies also offers students valuable opportunities to serve and protect their communities while still in school.
Since it was launched five years ago, the Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program has grown to include nearly 300 students and receives upwards of 400 applications each year.
Demand for highly skilled cybersecurity professionals is growing twice as fast as the workforce, according to recent studies. It is estimated that more than 500,000 cybersecurity positions are open in the U.S. alone, and the global number is estimated at 4 million. The threat of cyberattacks on both private and public sectors has created growing demand for graduates entering the workforce to approach cybersecurity from a variety of disciplines and viewpoints, and IU is leading efforts to train tomorrow’s cybersecurity experts.
The Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program is co-led by Isak Nti Asare, assistant dean of undergraduate education and student affairs in the Hamilton Lugar School, and Jean Camp, professor of informatics in the Luddy School. One of their top priorities is to ensure their students have a clear pathway to their desired careers.
Asare said:
We offer customized support for every single one of our students,
“We have students who are here saying, ‘I want to work for a particular government agency,’ or they’re trying to work as consultants, or as cyber analysts. From day one, the first meeting I have with students begins with ‘Let’s make a customized four-year plan”
We want students to be able to start creating very clear pathways.
“‘If you have this end goal in mind, let’s build that resume so you’re a prime candidate for that position.’”
As the program continues to grow, so do the opportunities offered to students. Their courses address the increasing importance of micro-credentials and professional certifications for college graduates, such as the global CompTIA Security + certification. Highly sought after by organizations hiring entry-level professionals, this certification validates the baseline skills necessary to perform core security functions and pursue a cybersecurity career.
Asare said:
Public service is built into the program, whose students tend to share a desire to serve their nation,
“The IU Cybersecurity Clinic, of which Asare is the executive director, provides pro bono cybersecurity assistance to critical public infrastructure and community organizations, including nonprofits, hospitals, municipalities, local government agencies and small businesses.
Asare said.
Student success is our top priority,
“What sets a cybersecurity education at IU apart is our unwavering commitment to preparing students, not just to excel in their careers, but to use those skills to lead and serve. If you’re looking to develop tech skills and make a meaningful impact, this is the place for you.”
Joe Scavone, a senior in the program, earned a degree in business administration from Ivy Tech in 2014 and eventually worked as a technician for Comcast.
Scavone said:
I intimately worked with the telecommunications industry,”
“It made me realize that there is a lot of opportunity to give back to the place I’ve called home all these years, especially when it comes to municipal resources — specifically telecommunications, electric and water utilities. Those are the three primary industries that I’m the most concerned with because of the cascading impacts that would result if any of those degraded or completely deteriorated.”
Scavone decided to pursue a degree at IU, where he could specialize in targeting those vulnerabilities. After enrolling in the program, he quickly found opportunities to help others by volunteering for the City of Bloomington through the Cybersecurity Clinic.
An additional opportunity to serve came when Scavone and his fellow students worked with high-level stakeholders in the Department of Defense to solve real-world innovation and research issues through the Hacking 4 Defense program, which was renamed Innovation for Impact at IU since there is no actual hacking involved. This program of the National Security Innovation Network is offered to IU students through a collaboration between the Hamilton Lugar and Luddy schools.
Using his experience in radio frequency propagation, Scavone was tasked with creating a communications device that could fill in the gaps for training facilities on a U.S. Army base overseas. He’s currently working with IU to secure a patent for his device.
As Scavone prepares to graduate in May and embark on his second career path, he said he is grateful for the opportunities found at IU that will help his mission to make a difference.
Scavone said:
I needed to go through life and understand what I wanted to give back to the world, and I think IU has really given me the capacity to understand myself better,
“I think that’s the point of going back to school or going to school in general. It’s not only to find new information but also to figure out where we want to go next.”
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Top-ranked Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program prepares IU students for in-demand careers, source
