SB GOOD TO KNOW
BY SEVA MAY
LSUS COMPUTER SCIENCE PROGRAM RANKED NO. 10 IN TOP 55 MOST AFFORDABLE CYBER SECURITY PROGRAMS Cyber Degrees EDU recently published its list of Top 55 Most Affordable Cyber Security Programs, and LSU Shreveport’s Computer Science program earned the No. 10 slot. Cyber Degrees EDU is an industry-leader in the education field that offers a comprehensive and current set of information for students who have an interest in pursuing higher education and employment in the fields of cyber security and computer science. “The LSUS computer Science Department is excited that our cyber security degree received this ranking,” Department Chair Richard Watson said. “We are continually growing and enhancing all of our degree plans. We are currently working with GDIT to inject more industry standard technologies into our cyber security courses and to broaden our course offerings in the area.” Computer Science students, alongside all majors, utilize the LSUS Cyber Collaboratory. It offers a stateof-the-art immersive learning space where students, faculty, and industry partners can come together to discuss, research, and create their visions utilizing the latest technology. “The Cyber Collaboratory provides many benefits to the students in all our programs,” Watson said. “Besides the fact that it gives our students access to a wide variety of cutting-edge technologies that they can use, it also attracts industrial partners who are often interested in providing internships to our students and in working with students and faculty on research projects.” LSUS also offers a Master of Science in Computer Systems Technology degree with concentrations in Computer Science, Biomedical Informatics, and Business Administration. The department also offers a Minor in Computer Science. UNITED WAY DONATES BOOKS FROM DOLLY PARTON’S IMAGINATION LIBRARY TO 10 HEAD START CENTERS In lieu of participating in Read Across America Day, United Way of Northwest Louisiana donated 10 sets of books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library to a local head start programs and child-care centers in each of the 10 parishes they serve. The receiving centers are Benton Head Start Center, Brown E. Moore Head Start, Breda Town Center, Red River Head Start, Universal Pre-Kindergarten, Humpty Dumpty Head Start, Bienville Head Start Center, STC Mansfield Head Start, Life’s Little Blessings, and Webster Parish ABC Head Start Center. In addition to UWNWLA’s donation for Read Across America Day, the organization is planning to extend their promotion of reading all month long through DPIL.
For the past two years, on March 2, UWNWLA has organized groups of volunteer readers to participate in Read Across America Day, celebrating Dr. Suess’s birthday and advocating the importance of reading to young children. Each volunteer is sent to a Caddo or Bossier Parish elementary school to read a Dr. Suess book and provide fun activities for the students that encourage reading. Due to COVID-19 and new school regulations, UWNWLA could not hold the traditional event this year. However, the organization is still working to provide the tools needed to improve early childhood education. “There is a critical and ongoing need to increase and improve the quality of early education for children in our region,” said LaToria Thomas, Vice President of Community Investments & Operations. “Focusing our limited resources on children at the earliest stages of learning will give them the social and developmental skills they need to succeed in school and life. We are thrilled to be able to celebrate Read Across America Day by building up head start libraries and giving children the keys to success for a brighter future.” “Red River Parish School Board Head Start is so excited to be the recipient of this great donation,” said Christy Suggs, Read River Head Start Director. “Storybooks are essential for building a strong educational foundation. The more a child is exposed to books and read aloud to, the stronger their love for reading becomes. Books take you on trips to places our children may never get to see. They help develop concepts and relate our lessons in class to the outside world. We greatly appreciate this donation.” LSUS DEBATE OVERCOMES WEATHER OBSTACLES TO NOTCH SECOND PLACE WIN IN BPCC TOURNAMENT The LSUS Debate Team earned second place overall with several individual awards at the Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) Annual Eddy Shell Invitational Debate Tournament. Despite water, internet, and power complications from severe inclement weather, the team went home victorious on the weekend of February 19, 2021. In the Team International Public Debate Association (IPDA) portion of the tournament, LSUS brought home three individual awards. Partners Mathew Coleman and Jewel Thomas finished as quarterfinalists, and senior Dominick Mercer was a fourth-place Speaker in Team Debate. Mercer and his partner Ethan Arbuckle advanced to their third-straight finals round and finished in second place. In the Novice Division, one Pilot earned two awards. Thomas earned the third-place Novice Speaker title, and took her first trip to the elimination rounds in Individual Debate. She advanced to the final round and finished as the Novice Division Champion. LSUS also fared well in the Varsity Division. Mercer went undefeated in the preliminary rounds and then advanced to the quarter final round in the elimination bracket. He just missed out on advancing out of a chalSBMAG.NET
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2021
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