VU helps high school students take first steps toward IT career path - External Relations
VU helps high school students take first steps toward IT career path
March 11, 2019 / VU helps high school students take first steps
toward IT career path
LINK to story photos, click
HERE
VINCENNES, Ind. - High school and college students interested
in gaming, cyber security, and other areas of information technology
attended an Information Technology Symposium and Showcase at Vincennes
University on March 6.
The Symposium was hosted by the VU Information Technology
Department and focused on the growing need for IT professionals.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, the median annual wage for computer and information
technology occupations was $84,580 in May 2017, which was higher than
the median annual wage for all occupations of $37,690. Employment for
computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow
faster than average for all occupations through 2026. These
occupations are projected to add about 557,100 new jobs. Demand for
these workers will stem from greater emphasis on cloud computing, the
collection and storage of big data, and information security.
More than 225 students attended the event, including students
from area high schools: Center Grove, Forest Park, Loogootee, Perry
Central, Parke Heritage, South Knox, Tell City, Warren Central,
Washington, and Wood Memorial.
The Symposium included presentations by IT experts, VU staff
members, and a student panel. Hands-on activities were available in
the form of technology booths were students could see and experience
networking hardware, IOT devices, virtual reality, and cyber hacking techniques.
Providing his view on the topic “Bigger than Hollywood: A Look
at Video Gaming and Beyond” was keynote speaker Newton Lee. This
author, educator, and futurist teaches courses in video game
development at VU. He was the founder of Disney Online Technology
Forum, creator of AT&T Bell Labs' first-ever commercial artificial
intelligence tool, inventor of the world's first annotated multimedia
OPAC for the U.S. National Agricultural Library, and the longest
serving editor-in-chief in the history of the Association for
Computing Machinery for its publication Computers in Entertainment (2003-18).
Additional presentations included “What can I do with a degree
in InfoSec, cybersecurity, or other areas of IT?” by Paul Miller; and
“How the VU and EC-Council partnership can help you get ready for the
future in IT” by Wesley Alvarez. An alumni and student panel
participated in a Q&A session.
“The IT Symposium and Showcase was a big success, giving more
than 200 students access to industry experts and trending technology
right here on the Vincennes Campus,” said Jaci Lederman, chair of VU’s
Information Technology Department. “The profession requires continual
learning and open-minded thinking that can be sparked from attending
events like this. The feedback from students was very positive and I
am pleased to see how the event energized their creativeness.”
Center Grove High School senior Sheldon Mudd attended the
symposium along with his mother, Peggy, who said, “Thank you so much
for all the time you gave us on such a busy day. We, Sheldon
especially, enjoyed the information presented and he is more excited
about attending. I thank you for that.”
Details about Vincennes University’s Information Technology
programs are available online at vinu.edu/business-public-service.
MORE ABOUT NEWTON LEE
Lee is the chair of the California Transhumanist Party,
education and media advisor to the United States Transhumanist Party,
and president of the nonprofit Institute for Education, Research, and
Scholarships. He graduated summa cum laude from Virginia Tech with a
B.S. and M.S. degree in Computer Science (specializing in artificial
intelligence) and earned a perfect GPA from VU University with an A.S.
degree in Electrical Engineering and an honorary doctorate in Computer
Science. He has been honored with a Michigan Leading Edge Technologies
Award, two community development awards from the California Junior
Chamber of Commerce, and four volunteer project leadership awards from
The Walt Disney Company.
Lee’s Total Information Awareness trilogy books (Facebook
Nation, Counterterrorism and Cybersecurity, and Google It) have
garnered rave reviews from Eleanor Clift of Newsweek and The Daily
Beast, ACM Computing Reviews, AdWeek SocialTimes, Choice Magazine, and
Carmen LaBerge of Faith Radio, among others. Dr. Laura Wilhelm for The
Hollywood Times applauded that “Newton Lee’s thorough and thoughtful
analysis should please pacifists in search of lasting solutions to the
planet’s biggest problems.” Veteran Staff Sergeant Andrew Price of the
United States Air Force (USAF) remarked, “I am inspired by the
prospect of world peace. I’d fully recommend following the author’s
steps, reaching beyond our borders, making friends outside our norm,
and helping to foster world peace and a better tomorrow.”
###
LINK to VU Online Newsroom, click HERE
VICKIE PUFFER, Communications Coordinator & Online Newsroom
Manager
812-888-4162 office, 812-887-4635 cell,
VUNews@vinu.edu, vpuffer@vinu.edu
MARCIA MARTINEZ, University
Life Reporter & Sports Information Director
812-888-4164
office, 314-599-1519 cell, VUNews@vinu.edu, mmartinez@vinu.edu
VINCENNES UNIVERSITY, Department of University Relations, www.vinu.edu/newsroom