IST students attend national Women in Cybersecurity Conference

For the first time, the College of IST sent students to the national Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Conference. The event was held April 11-13 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, and student attendance was funded by IST’s Office of Student Engagement The annual WiCyS Conference welcomes cybersecurity professionals, students and organizations, according to its website. It is the flagship event to recruit, retain and advance women in cybersecurity while creating a community of engagement, encouragement and support at a technical conference for women and allies. 

“The Office of Student Engagement is extremely proud to have been able to support these remarkable women by funding their travel to the conference” said Tyler Estright, student engagement coordinator for the college. “It is a clear indication of the college’s commitment to fostering an environment that encourages this type of engagement. The importance of students, especially women, attending professional conferences cannot be overstated.” 

The conference featured keynote speakers, technical presentations, workshops, panels, networking socials, resume reviews, mock interviews and professional headshots. It also included a career fair for organizations to hire professionals and students. “It was an excellent learning experience,” said Manasa Pisipati, a graduate student majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations and president of the WiCyS organization’s Penn State chapter. “We attended sessions and the career fair and even met WiCyS founder Ambareen Shraj.”

Pisipati was accompanied by fellow WiCyS members Siya Divekar and Christina Fontaine, both of whom are undergraduate students majoring in cybersecurity analytics and operations.

“Students in the WiCyS at Penn State—by their active participation in this national conference—advance the college and set an inspiring example for their peers,” Estright said. “Their success is a testament to the power of education, engagement and empowerment in shaping the future leaders of cybersecurity.”

By Mary Fetzer 

Photo Credit: Jena Soult/Penn State