ISS Students at Security Conference

Four Information Systems Security students from Vance-Granville Community College attended the second annual Triangle InfoSeCon, the conference of the Raleigh Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association, on Oct. 26 in Cary. Students William Brannock of Warrenton, Mark Shepherd of Oxford, Phillip Spriggs of Stem and David Watkins of Henderson were invited to attend the event by Steven Toy, president of the chapter. The four students were asked to work the registration table that morning, and they then had the opportunity to attend the conference sessions. Wendy Bailey, VGCC Program Head for Web Technologies and contact for Information Systems Security, and Billie Evans, Program Head for Computer Information Technology and contact for Networking Technology, also attended this event.Highlights of the conference included two keynote speakers: Sara Santarelli, Chief Information Security Officer for Verizon Business and Johnny Long, a professional hacker and author. Students were able to talk one-on-one with the speakers. “It was exciting to actually meet someone as famous as Johnny Long, as opposed to reading about him in a book,” Brannock said.“Students learned firsthand the importance of staying current with technology, were able to see demonstrations of some of the latest computer security technologies, and heard presentations on new software,” Bailey said. They also had an opportunity to talk with companies who provide security products and services and to network with information security professionals. “I’m so glad I had the opportunity to attend this conference, and I particularly enjoyed the presentation on the new Microsoft Vista operating system,” Watkins said. “It was a great learning experience for me.”Information Systems Security is one of VGCC’s newest programs. The two-year curriculum provides individuals with the skills required to implement effective and comprehensive information security controls. With the growing number of security threats on the Internet, experts say that the demand for security professionals will continue to grow over the next 10-15 years. For more information on the program, contact Wendy Bailey at (252) 492-2061, ext. 3259.Pictured above: Four VGCC students (from left, seated: David Watkins, William Brannock; standing: Mark Shepherd and Phillip Spriggs) assisted with registration at the Triangle InfoSeCon in October.