BizVoice -- March / April 2018

March/April 2018 – BizVoice/Indiana Chamber 65 Indiana Tech: Online cybersecurity degree The need for strong cybersecurity measures has never been greater. Thanks to a new online option at Indiana Tech, the opportunity to obtain a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity has expanded to a wider audience of students. Indiana Tech is a private, four-year institution in Fort Wayne, with additional locations around the state and in Kentucky, Illinois and Michigan. Brian Engelhart, vice president of marketing and communication at Indiana Tech, shares that the school’s adult, graduate and online programs have grown in recent years. The main campus in Fort Wayne is home to about 1,600 students, while the school’s total student population is closer to 8,500. Indiana Tech previously offered a cybersecurity degree as part of its computer science program at the school of engineering. The online bachelor of science option opened to its first students in January. “The skills are in demand. … We’ve heard a lot from prospective students on the adult side. They want to get involved in this industry, into a program that can help transition or start a new career. This course material can be offered online very easily,” Engelhart says. “It exposes it to so many more people; more that can take advantage of the opportunity and at their own pace and fit it in if they’re already working and go through the coursework while they keep working and have a family and have responsibilities.” He notes the degree is the same whether in person or online, though the in-person program does offer more lab work on-site. “They really walk away with the same experiences and skills,” he adds. Engelhart points to the fact that Indiana Tech alumni are working in technology positions at top companies around the country, including Amazon, American Electric Power, Aptera, Cisco Systems and more. “Knowing that there are companies looking for skilled people and that they look highly on Indiana Tech is a good thing. Alums come back and they might be looking for somebody to join their team. In some instances, we have alums that come back and might serve as an instructor – using their real-world experience and teaching in the classroom,” he says. The collegiate Cyber Defense team is another part of Indiana Tech’s cybersecurity and computer science program. The team competes against other schools in protecting or attacking a cyber network. “It shows the caliber and curriculum of our students,” Engelhart contends, noting that the school’s team has competed against other Indiana engineering schools and come out on top the last three years. Oakland City University: Focus on drug, alcohol awareness Students at Oakland City University have come face-to-face with the stark reality of driving under the influence (DUI): a car that had been totaled in a DUI incident was placed in the middle of campus. The car example – along with a spring break pledge banner for students to sign and an emphasis on making smart decisions – is part of the university’s focus on having a strong drug and alcohol awareness and mental health awareness program. The private university in Oakland City (about 40 miles north of Evansville) has about 1,800 students between its main campus and several other locations around the state. It was one of five Indiana institutions of higher education to receive a grant from the Indiana Collegiate Action Network (ICAN) to support its ongoing awareness programs. “The Mental Health Association of Indiana has been very good to Oakland City University over the last couple of years,” says Danny Dunivan, provost and dean of the Chapman Seminary program. “We have received the ICAN mini-grant because of several reasons: geographically where we are within the state of Indiana and knowing some of the drug problems that we have locally. “They felt like we’re putting an emphasis on education and really awareness of the effects of drug and alcohol abuse. … It’s been very good to put funding behind our educational efforts here and we appreciate their partnership for sure.” Other efforts include getting the study body to buy into the campaign to raise awareness of alcohol abuse. A hashtag, #SOLOOCU (Strike Out Lame Options, Oakland City University) – a play on the Solo Cup brand that is often associated with drinking alcohol at the college level – engaged students on social media outlets over spring break. “We had a very strong response on social media from our student body,” Dunivan notes. “This year the emphasis is on opioid and prescription drug abuse, with what we’re seeing in our country regarding heroin and the opioid epidemic. We’ve written that grant this year to put more of an emphasis on that,” he reveals. The university was founded in 1885 and was “known as a teacher-preacher college,” offers Brian Baker, associate vice president for advancement. “But we think we’ve developed into a whole lot more than that in 2018.” Oakland City University is the only accredited school of higher education for General Baptists in the country. The Chapman Seminary offers graduate degrees in Doctor of Ministry, Master of Divinity, Master of Divinity – Pastoral Care and Master of Theological Studies. RESOURCE: Indiana Tech at www.indianatech.edu RESOURCE: Oakland City University at www.oak.edu Oakland City University has focused on alcohol and substance abuse education and awareness, a drive that is supported by a grant from the Indiana Collegiate Action Network.