National Defense University iCollege’s Patricia Coopersmith Wins 2011 AFCEA Meritorious Award for Excellence in Information Technology

April 26, 2011

The NDU iCollege is proud to announce that Patricia Coopersmith, Director of Outreach and International Relations, is the winner of the 2011 Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Meritorious Award for Excellence in Information Technology.

This prestigious honor is awarded annually to a mid-career professional with noteworthy accomplishments in information technology in the current or previous year. Criteria for the award included demonstrating accomplishments in information technology (IT) to advance the agency mission; specific accomplishments in policy, planning, management, or implementation of IT; achievements in programs impacting national strategies and international relations; and furthering the exchange of knowledge about IT between the defense and non-defense communities. Award recipients also must have a current membership with AFCEA.

AFCEA is an international non-profit association serving military, government, industry and academia for the advancement of communications, information technology, intelligence and global security.

Ms. Coopersmith was nominated by the NDU iCollege leadership team for multiple reasons. She is a pivotal driver behind the college’s Vision to be the Global Hub for Educating, Informing, and Connecting Information Age Leaders. She manages information technology-related agreements with more than 40 academic partner universities across the U.S., and leads the college’s marketing-communications-outreach efforts (branding, internal and external communications, and media relations.) She plans and implements technology conferences world-wide to include Singapore, London, Dubai and in September, Bangkok; and, she continues to be a part of the collaborative center with many key government, association, and private-sector stakeholders to advance the mission and the vision of the college. Additionally, Ms. Coopersmith meets with AFCEA leadership on a regular basis to explore expertise and national and international outreach areas, and she was recently selected for the AFCEA Leadership Forum.

Award recipients will be recognized at the AFCEA annual awards luncheon at the Joint Warfighting Conference held on Monday, May 9, 2011 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center in Virginia Beach, VA. Award recipients will also be featured in a future edition of AFCEA SIGNAL Magazine.

About the College - The NDU iCollege, a U.S. Department of Defense educational institution, prepares leaders to direct the information component of national power by leveraging information and information technology for strategic advantage. Although most students come from DoD (military and civilians), the school also accepts federal agency, private sector, and international students into its graduate programs. Education is focused around CIO, CFO, Information Assurance/Cyber, Enterprise Architecture, IT Project Management, and other information leadership competencies. The NDU iCollege is also currently working with the U.S. Department of Education to obtain approval for its new Government Information Leader Master of Science Degree. Courses are completed on campus and/or online. For more information about the NDU iCollege’s programs, please contact: Jolly Sienda at jolly.sienda.ctr@ndu.edu ; or for general information about the college, visit www.ndu.edu/icollege.

The National Defense University is the nation’s premier center for joint professional military education. The university is an accredited graduate-level institution that provides an educational and research environment to prepare future leaders of the armed forces and other civilian agencies for high-level policy, command, and staff responsibilities. For more information about the National Defense University, please contact: Dave Thomas, Public Affairs Officer, at 202-685-3140 or ThomasD2@ndu.edu; or visit www.ndu.edu.