Kapiʻolani Community College students Prescott James Lorenzo and Aaron ʻĀkau were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement toward their associate of science (AS) degree in information technology. This award was created to recognize the most exceptional AS graduates at the UH Community Colleges who are in cybersecurity-related disciplines, supporting cyber workforce development or are pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and math education.
Lorenzo and ʻĀkau were awarded letters of recognition signed by Steve Singer from Kapiʻolani CC and Matthew Chapman from University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu. In addition, both students received new Dell Inspiron Quadcore Touchscreen laptop computers.
The award is funded and supported by a Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training grant from the National Security Agency under the U.S. Department of Labor. Singer is the coordinator of this program. The purpose of the grant is to integrate cybersecurity as one of the pillars of Kapiʻolani’s AS program in information technology. Most information technology courses now contains at least one cybersecurity-related objective. In addition, three new cybersecurity courses have been added to the program and a certificate of achievement in cybersecurity.
“Given the threats now faced on the internet, cybersecurity has become central to information security, and so we have tried to integrate cybersecurity into all of our courses and at all levels of the AS program, rather than treating it as something separate or added-on,” said Hal Corcoran, information technology science coordinator.
—By Louise Yamamoto
