FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Patricia Coopersmith
Director of Outreach & International Relations
National Defense University iCollege
coopersmithp@ndu.edu
202-685-2117
(Washington DC) The National Defense University’s commencement was held on Thursday, June 13th, 2013 at Fort Lesley J. McNair. Approximately 3,000 people, including the graduates, families, special guests, VIPs, and faculty/staff attended. General Martin E. Dempsey, US Army, 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, was the graduation speaker. The NDU Information Resources Management College (iCollege) students joined graduates from the University’s other three colleges located at the McNair campus. 28 NDU iCollege students graduated with a Master of Science Degree in Government Information Leadership (MS GIL).
Immediately following the ceremony, the NDU iCollege graduates, guests, and faculty members adjourned to the college where they were addressed by Dr. Robert Childs, Chancellor of the NDU iCollege. Dr. Childs discussed the college’s unique role in developing cyber leaders vs. training the cyber workforce. He stressed “the critical difference is that the iCollege integrates cyber policy, implementation of policy, governance, law, public/private/international partnerships, strategies, and cyber tools to equip those who will lead in the cyber era.” Childs stated that there are many excellent universities and companies who train in the technical aspects of cyber security, but the NDU iCollege focuses on the NDU mission of developing leaders who can think and operate in an unpredictable and complex world.
Since the NDU iCollege’s master’s degree was approved by the U.S. Department of Education in December 2010, 70 students have graduated in the MS GIL and currently 280 students are enrolled in the program. The 39-credit curriculum of the GIL Master of Science Degree Program offers a combination of information management, technology, and leadership intensive courses in a collaborative and interactive environment. Students select one of nine concentration areas, which correspond to the college’s certificate programs. Each master’s student completes a capstone project, which integrates concepts from course work, professional practice, and job-related issues.
A majority of the NDU iCollege curriculum is dedicated to courses in information leadership that address the many aspects of cyber. The college develops leadership skills critical to successfully navigate the current cyberspace domain and promote future integration of cyberspace with the physical domains. The NDU iCollege is a National Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Information Assurance Education as certified by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The NDU iCollege is unique in that it is open to the larger DOD, Federal Government, domestic and international communities. Courses at the iCollege are offered as 1-week resident (plus 4-week online), 12-week fully online, or a hybrid approach. The college also offers a fast-track, 14-week Advanced Management Program where students can complete an entire graduate certificate. To date, the college has 16,000 alumni of its certificates and master’s degree programs combined.
The NDU iCollege mission is to
prepare military and civilian leaders to optimize information technology management and secure information dominance within cyberspace. The college offers approximately 50 courses in cyber, IT leadership, and related topics in residence and online throughout the academic year. NDU is the premier national security institution focused on advanced joint education, leader development, and scholarship. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.
More information about the NDU iCollege Master’s Degree can be found at:
http://www.ndu.edu/icollege/pcs/pcs_gil_masters.html. Questions can also be directed to the college’s Office of Student Services at
iCollegeOSS@ndu.edu .