#HBCUSTEMgrad: Black woman becomes first person in La. to earn degree in cybersecurity

GRAMBLING, La. (KSLA) - A Black woman at Grambling State University is making history.

On Thursday, April 15, Alexis White became the first person in the State of Louisiana to earn a degree in cybersecurity, the university announced on Facebook.

White offers a message of positivity to others seeking to achieve their goals.

“My journey was not easy, but it was achievable,” White said. “If you can get yourself to think positively, keep going no matter the opposition, and just do it, it can be done.”

“The mission of the Department of Cybersecurity is to provide comprehensive undergraduate level training and produce well-trained information security professionals. Graduates of the program would be highly sought-after by a range of private sector industries in the Louisiana State, local government agencies, industries, federal government, and defense organizations. The program supports the institutional mission in enabling to tackle the cyber related endangers, raises the awareness of digital data security, and promoting responsible citizenship in a changing world. The Cybersecurity curriculum was developed to provide a purposeful and creative program that emphasizes both the theory of computing, Cybersecurity, and its practice. Faculty members use current technologies to stimulate learning and promote an enjoyable and worthwhile background experience for lifetime use in the profession. The B.S. in Cybersecurity at Grambling State University offers a high-quality educational program for information security professionals. The core course requirements provide the students with the knowledge and skills needed to successfully evaluate the information security needs, identify appropriate counter security measures, and implement security technologies. The main focus of this program is to concentrate on specific security areas of interest, such as software, network, and database. The program is aligned with the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. (ABET) requirements and national guidelines for information security professionals. The department of Cybersecurity has developed the following program educational objectives and student outcomes for all graduates of our program.”

Grambling says during the 2019-20 school year, the program had 30 majors participating. The program coordinator is Dr. Y. B. Reddy.

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