The Center for Women in Technology (CWIT) welcomes Cindy Greenwood as their new Assistant Director. Ms. Greenwood will spearhead the new Cyber Scholars Program which kicks off this fall.

Cindy Greenwood loved college so much that she never wanted to leave.

So she didn’t.  

When an Advertising and Public Relations internship during her senior year of college showed Ms. Greenwood that it wasn’t the career for her, she switched gears. She let her heart decide.

“I felt like I could make more of a difference by going into higher education,” she says.

Greenwood knows first-hand the difference that the college experience can make. Raised in Ishpeming, Michigan–a small town of no more than 7,000 people that is “half the size of UMBC,” she says—Ms. Greenwood thought it would always be her home. That is, until she left for Grand Valley State University.  

“A college campus is like no place else. You can do anything,” says Ms. Greenwood. “You can go from a cultural event where you’re trying food from Cambodia, to a dance party with glowsticks.” The atmosphere of possibility urged her to try new things, like studying abroad in Australia.

Afterwards, a master’s program in Higher Education Administration at the Leadership Center of Washington State University beckoned to her. After graduating, Ms. Greenwood spent eight years working for and with college students, first at Ferris State University in Michigan, and then at the University of South Florida.

In 2011, she joined UMBC as the Alumni Programming Coordinator in the Office of Institutional Advancement. Here, she started the Student Alumni Association to help connect current students with alumni. Hungry for more one-on-one time with undergraduates, Ms. Greenwood volunteered to be the advisor for the UMBC Vegetarian Student Group.

It’s the chance to work with students on a daily basis that drew her to the Assistant Director position in the Center for Women in Technology, she says. Ms. Greenwood will coordinate the new Cyber Scholars Program, which is run in partnership by CWIT and the UMBC Center for Cybersecurity. Her duties include overseeing the Cyber Scholars Living Learning Community, planning events, advising scholars, and teaching a seminar and bridge program for Cyber Scholars.

“The scholars programs are really interesting [at UMBC] because they really touch on every part of students’ lives,” says Greenwood.

An advocate of social justice and equality, Ms. Greenwood says she identifies with CWIT’s mission to bolster support for women in the male-centered fields of Engineering and Information Technology. She is a co-chair of UMBC’s Presidents Commission of Women. In the end it all comes back to her experience in college.

“I’ve had some good female mentors throughout my career,” says Ms. Greenwood, “and I definitely hope to be that to other females as well.”

*Ms. Greenwood joins CWIT as Assistant Director on January 28, 2013.

Join a webcast of the Federal government's cybersecurity research and development strategies from 1:00pm to 3:00pm EST on Tuesday 27 November 2012. Senior Federal representatives will review Government activities in implementing the Federal cybersecurity R&D strategic plan and discuss emerging areas in cybersecurity research that may warrant further focus. The webcast session is part of the National Science Foundation's Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace PI Meeting. Addional information about the Federal Cybersecurity R&D program is available online.

DATE POSTED: 11/12/12
POSITION TITLE: Assistant Director, CWIT
CATEGORY: Professional
PERSONNEL STATUS: Exempt, Full time, Regular Note:  Position in for a three-year term.
DEPARTMENT: Center for Women in Technology (CWIT)
CLOSING DATE: 11/26/12

RESPONSIBILITIES: The incumbent will provide for the administration of the Cyber Scholars Program and Cyber Living Learning Community (LLC), including all recruitment, retention, and graduation activities. The Cyber Scholars Program is housed in the new Cyber security Center and run in partnership with UMBC's Center for Women in Technology.

Specific duties include: planning and implementation of the Cyber Scholars Program; developing recruitment activities in coordination with UMBC’s Office of Admissions and Orientation, other UMBC Scholar programs, the Cyber Security Center, and departments within College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT); overseeing the Cyber LLC, including coordinating selection initiatives and working closely with the Resident Assistant to encourage community and a supportive learning environment; providing individual and group advising for all Cyber Scholars and LLC members; executing skill-building and professional development events for students; planning and instructing a seminar and bridge program for Cyber Scholars; advising and student planning committees for large events; serving as a liaison between the program and officials within and outside the institution; assisting in the formulation of the organization’s budgets and project proposals; supporting secondary school outreach, including executing CWIT’s annual outreach program, Bits & Bytes; supporting major CWIT and UMBC events to ensure their success; answering mail, phone and walk-in inquiries from prospective students; and performing other duties as assigned.

The UMBC Center for Cybersecurity is an interdisciplinary university center that unifies UMBC’s many cybersecurity capabilities. The Center aims to provide both Maryland and the nation with academic and research leadership, collaboration, innovation, and outreach in this critical discipline by streamlining our academic, research, workforce development, and technology incubation activities to advance UMBC’s position as a leading research university in cybersecurity-related disciplines.

CWIT is dedicated to increasing the representation of women among those who create technology in engineering and information technology fields. CWIT strives to nurture a strong group of Scholars (including CWIT, T-SITE and Cyber Scholars), build community resources for other women

in these majors, foster a healthy gender climate and ITE pedagogy in College of Engineering and Information Technology (COEIT) departments, and conducts outreach activities to increase interest in technical careers.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: Requires a Bachelor’s degree (Master’s degree in a student support or technical field preferred) and student support experience. Strong organizational, writing, and verbal communications skills required. Some experience interacting with organizations in the cyber sector is a plus.

SALARY: Starting salary range at $50,000, commensurate with qualifications and experience.

APPLICATION: For best consideration, submit a cover letter, resume and contact information for three professional references by November 26, 2012 by email to cwitadmin@umbc.edu. Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled.

As required by the 1986 Immigration Act, be prepared to present acceptable documentation showing your identity and that you are a U.S. citizen or an alien who is authorized to work.

UMBC IS AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

The new UMBC Cyber Scholars Program is seeking applicants. Incoming Freshman for the Fall 2013 school year, current students, and transfer students interested in careers in cybersecurity are encouraged to apply by January 15, 2013.

Starting Fall 2013, the Scholarship program will support 15-20 students annually with financial awards of $5,000-15,000 per year. The scholarship is more than a financial award; it is a scholarship program that fosters a community through common on-campus living-learning housing, events, and activities. Cyber Scholars will learn from and support one another throughout their college careers, and from core interaction with UMBC faculty and mentors.

Every Cyber scholar is assigned a faculty advisor who is pursuing cybersecurity-related research of their own. Advisors will help students find research and internship opportunities best suited to them.

To apply for the UMBC Cyber Scholars Program, visit Cybersecurity.umbc.edu/cyberscholars