A Grambling State University student is about to get Louisiana’s first bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity at a time when data breaches are making headlines.
Alexis White of Arcadia already has a degree in biology. She earned it in 2018 — the year Grambling won approval for the state’s only bachelor’s degree program in cybersecurity.
The school says Louisiana Tech has a cyber engineering program and other Louisiana schools have concentrations in cybersecurity but don’t offer degrees in the field.
White will receive her second degree on Thursday.
The degree connects students with research leaders and working professionals in vulnerability assessment, big data, cloud computing and fighting cyber-crimes, according to a school news release.
White, who was chosen as a high school freshman to attend Louisiana Tech’s Cyber Security Camp and was on Ruston High School’s robotics team, was late in her biology program when Grambling said it was creating the cybersecurity program.
“I knew I would regret it if I did not give myself the opportunity to really live out all my interests especially since I had loved science since Barney was mixing blue and yellow to make green paint,” she said.
After graduation, she will complete Clinton Global Initiative classwork and later begin an apprenticeship as a cyber analyst in governance risk and compliance at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. The company provides a variety of services including audit and assurance services, regulatory services and risk and financial advisory services.
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