SUNY WESTCHESTER NEWS Shortly after the program was designated a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security – one of the first community colleges to win this recognition – Wiener Philanthropies announced a transformative gift of $1 million to expand the program, ensure its classrooms remain technologically cutting-edge, and establish the Robert R. Wiener Cyber Scholars, a scholarship for top-performing cybersecurity students at the college. This year, the Robert R. Wiener Center for Excellence in Cybersecurity opened, dedicated to Westchester native and forward-thinking philanthropist, Bob Wiener. A national model for cybersecurity curriculum and academic rigor, many of the program’s graduates— 554 since the program’s inception— have entered high-paying jobs and won awards, while others have transferred to four-year colleges to secure their bachelor’s, and in some cases, graduate degrees. From left: Dr. Vanessa Morest, VP and Dean of Academic Affairs; Dr. Carmen Martinez-Lopez, Dean of School of Business & Professional Careers; Dr. Belinda S. Miles, SUNY WCC President; Robert Wiener, Sherry Wiener, and John Watkins ’01, Associate Professor, Computer Information Technologies and Curriculum Chair for the Cybersecurity program “I feel that this is the best investment that I’ve ever made. My grandfather came to this country in 1906, created a business and a rewarding life for himself and his family. Westchester Community College provides today’s students with the same foundation that I hope will lead to hundreds, even thousands, of similar stories.” Bob Wiener Looking to the Future: Opening Another Door Responding to the meteoric rise in cybercrime and urgent need for trained professionals in the field of cybersecurity, SUNY WCC added cybersecurity to its associate degree and certificate programs. CYBERSECURITY CENTER For our full 2024 annual report with more student stories, visit www.sunywcc.edu/annual-report-2024 11
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