Caribbean Partnership Between STEM Serving Organizations and a Cyber Nonprofit Seeks to Increase Diversity and Inclusion

Denver, CO, September 23, 2018 --(PR.com)-- The Cyber Institute, a nonprofit and an international NGO that works to improve the lives of women and minorities, was invited to the Virgin Islands to observe the University of the Virgin Islands CECOR (Consortium Enabling Cybersecurity Opportunities & Research) program in action. CECOR provides opportunities for students from middle school to high school, undergraduates, graduates, and professionals to attend cybersecurity camps, workshops, and events with the support of partner institutions. Executives from the nonprofit said, “Cyber Institute is excited to partner with the University of the Virgin Islands, an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) to help increase diversity and inclusion into the field of cybersecurity education and workforce development.” Dr. Marc Boumedine Associate Professor of Computer Science and Department Chair College of Science and Mathematics said, “The partnership between the University of the Virgin Islands and the Cyber Institute is key to building a cybersecurity pipeline in the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Caribbean.” In support of the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) program, this partnership supports the CECOR project. The Cyber Institute will help develop a cybersecurity curriculum and recruit students at all levels and engage them in cybersecurity activities, offer scholarships for talented youths, provide summer training opportunities for undergraduates and teachers, and will create robust cybersecurity education and training programs. The nonprofit also met Rebecca Hoffart, the Director of the Virgin Islands Next Generation STEM Network which runs the “Code Like A Girl!” program through a partnership with the university and the Virgin Islands Institute for STEM Education Research and Practice (VI-ISERP) sponsored by the Government of the Virgin Islands Department of Education STEM office. Rebecca said that, “We look forward to the Cyber Institute introducing a cybersecurity aspect to our existing coding and robotics programs.” All the partnership participants expressed that a collaborative approach to increasing interest in STEM and cyber will help them reach more of the youth and young adults in the Caribbean.

About Cyber Institute
Cyber Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and international NGO that advises government and industry on matters related to cyber policy, pathways into the workforce, and cyber education curriculum. Our vision is to ensure a safer and more inclusive cyber world. Our mission is to increase access to education, employment, and workforce development to ensure they will have greater career opportunities while also empowering them to safeguard our digital world. By increasing access to education, employment, and workforce development, we believe the communities we serve will have greater opportunities for self-determination and self-reliance. Reach us at info@cyber-institute.org and find us at https://www.cyber-institute.org.

Contact
Taylor Rodriguez Vance
Executive Director
1312 17th Street Suite 551
Denver, CO 80202
800-282-1659 or 719-629-7768

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