CIT students earn scholarships to attend national cybersecurity conference

Three Kilgore College Information Technology (CIT) students were presented scholarships to attend a three-day national cybersecurity education conference in Bossier City, La.

The annual national conference, Community College Cyber Summit (3CS), was held July 30 to Aug. 1 at Bossier Parish Community College and the Horseshoe Hotel – Bossier City.

More than 500 students, educators and industry representatives from all over the nation attended the conference that offered presentation tracks and mini workshops – including tips on running “capture the flag” tournaments and techniques to lead cyber student clubs.

CIT students selected from KC to attend the summit were Gene Gibson, Kilgore sophomore; April Harris, Kilgore sophomore; and Katherine Alexander, Big Sandy sophomore.

The National CyberWatch Center awarded these three students with National Science Foundation scholarships to cover expenses to attend the conference.

"Conferences like 3CS serve to empower IT students with knowledge of global trends that they can apply locally to protect critical infrastructure," said Danny Darden, CIT instructor at KC – who also attended the conference. “I'm proud of our students who seized the opportunity to further their education outside of the classroom.”

Darden said the students will utilize what they learned to better serve as student leaders of the KC CIT Club whose monthly meetings are open to KC students and the local information technology community.

For more information about CIT programs at KC please contact Dr. Ginger Dennis at gdennis@kilgore.edu; Darden at ddarden@kilgore.edu; or visit www.kilgore.edu/cit.

Submitted Photo (left to right): Gene Gibson, CIT student; Danny Darden, KC instructor; April Harris, CIT student; and Katherine Alexander, CIT student.