A Decade of Cultivating Cybersecurity Excellence: Celebrating 10 Years of the ACES Program at UMD College Park

In the ever-evolving realm of cybersecurity, the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) stands as a beacon of innovation and excellence, bolstered by its pioneering Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Student (ACES) program, the first honors cybersecurity program in the nation. As the ACES program marks a decade of nurturing cybersecurity talent, we pause to celebrate its remarkable achievements and impact on shaping cybersecurity's future.

ACES was established in 2013 with a vision to cultivate a new generation of cybersecurity leaders. The program has been a trailblazer since its inception, offering a unique blend of rigorous academics, hands-on experiences, and industry engagement.

Over the past decade, ACES has demonstrated remarkable growth, continually drawing some of the most talented students at the University of Maryland. In 2013, the program started with a modest cohort of approximately 50 students. From the very first cohort, there was a commitment to diversity with 26% female-identified students among them. Fast forward to 2023, and ACES has seen a substantial increase in its student body, with an impressive 140 students joining the program in 2023. Currently, ACES boasts an enrollment of 476 students, including 222 participating in the ACES Living and Learning Program, and the rest participating in the ACES Minor. Perhaps one of the most notable developments is the diversification of the program, with 44% of ACES students identifying as female or nonbinary and 25% of its students identifying as members of underrepresented racial/ethnic minority groups. These highlights represent the program's commitment to diversifying the future of the cybersecurity workforce, further cementing ACES as a thriving educational initiative in the field of cybersecurity.

ACES's commitment to hands-on learning has been a cornerstone of its success. Students are actively engaged in real-world cybersecurity challenges, participating in cybersecurity competitions, conducting research alongside faculty, and gaining valuable internships in industry and government agencies. The program's strong ties to industry have been instrumental in bridging the gap between academia and the professional cybersecurity landscape. ACES students have benefited immensely from mentorship opportunities, industry-led workshops, and course instruction by cybersecurity experts, gaining insights into the latest trends and challenges in the field.

The impact of the ACES program extends far beyond the walls of UMD. Its graduates have gone on to become cybersecurity leaders in various sectors, and are currently spread across over 110 organizations, making significant contributions to safeguarding our digital infrastructure. Their success is a testament to the program's effectiveness in nurturing well-rounded cybersecurity professionals.

10 Year Celebration

On Friday, October 25, 2024, ACES students, faculty, alumni, and corporate partners came together to celebrate the program’s 10th anniversary. It was a beautiful event at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center full of conversations, food, drinks, and fun. Students and alumni from a wide range of cohorts were in attendance, and several attendees were from the 1st ACES cohort. They were all able to share and reflect on their experiences with one another while connecting with the current generation of ACES students. It was also an opportunity to announce the inaugural ACES Awards, recognizing students and faculty (the full list of awards can be found at the end of this article). Overall, the event was a successful night that brought together the ACES community, past and present, to celebrate the program’s big milestone.

Alumni testimonials:

To honor 10 years of ACES, we caught up with some alumni, and they shared their insights, experiences, and the impact it has had on their personal and professional growth.

Katie Bohensky

Katie (Woods) Bohensky, an alumna from the first ACES Cohort in 2013, is currently a representative of ACES’ founding partner, Northrop Grumman. She fondly remembers the close-knit community that quickly developed among the ACES Cohort, which was essential to her college experience.

“ACES became my home away from home where I had not only a group to study with but made real friends. The ACES formal, movie nights and cookie study breaks were definite highlights and brought everyone together.”

One of the most significant takeaways from her time in ACES was the value of teamwork.

“We had many group projects that we had to complete that relied on the success of the team. The honeypot project in particular taught us to work together, allocate jobs, and build trust in our team members. This has translated into my career because everyone at Northrop Grumman works as part of a team. It is essential to communicate effectively with team members and to develop a strong team dynamic to be successful and meet our milestones” added Katie.

“Today I am an Embedded Software Engineer with a focus on System Security Engineering. This field blends the worlds of software development and cybersecurity in a challenging and innovative way to protect our nation’s defense systems. Being a part of ACES helped me to see how cybersecurity can meld into many different career paths. Cybersecurity is such an important consideration for all of the different networked technologies today as we are all connected more than ever before.”

Katie also offers valuable advice to current students in ACES, urging them to make the most of every networking opportunity the program provides “ You never know who will be in attendance and it is a unique opportunity that the general university population does not get to have.”

Sylvia Yee

Sylvia Yee, a university graduate from the 2018 cohort reflected on fondest moments of ACES that left a lasting impact. From the light-hearted antics of watching friends playfully prank each other by moving beds to the 5th-floor social lounge, to the heartwarming tradition of organizing an unofficial Secret Santa for ACES LLP students, her days in the program were filled with camaraderie and fun. These moments were not only great icebreakers for both freshmen and sophomores but also solidified the community within ACES. Exam weeks were made more bearable by the study sessions with ACES friends in the 5th-floor study lounge, complete with late-night snacks to keep them going, recalled Sylvia.

However, the key takeaway from Sylvia’s ACES experience extends beyond these memorable moments. The program also honed their social skills. Events like the ACES Career Fair and tech talks provided students with opportunities to socialize with various people and learn how to make conversations depending on the situation. Additionally, their ACES classes helped them figure out their interests and passions within the field of Cybersecurity and gave them a glimpse of what it's like to work in the Cybersecurity field. As they reflect on their time in ACES, they offer valuable advice: "Take any opportunities you can get. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Sydnee Shanon

Sydnee Shanon, also an alumna from the first cohort in 2013, recalls that being a part of ACES was undeniably one of the most cherished aspects of her college experience.

“There was a strong sense of community that quickly formed amongst our cohort and most of my close friends even 10 years later are people I met through the program. Some specific memories that come to mind are speaking at the ACES lab opening, speaking at the Honors College Convocation, and hanging out in the lounge with friends helping each other with our honeypot projects,” recalled Sydnee.

A key takeaway from the ACES experience for Sydnee was the development of self-confidence, particularly as a young woman entering the tech and cybersecurity sphere.

“ACES taught me to have confidence in my skill set and have faith that I belong just as much as anybody else. From the beginning, the staff made clear that diversity was important to them and I have never experienced a more accepting and inclusive environment. As I have experienced less inclusive environments in my career, the foundation I got through my formative college years has been something that I have relied on tremendously. I also think that the interdisciplinary aspects of the ACES program encourage me to think outside the box and consider different ways of problem-solving.”

Additionally, Sydnee explained how ACES shaped her career. “ACES gave me the confidence and connections to apply to internships throughout the cybersecurity field. I had internships all three summers of my college career and my first job was a direct result of my junior year internship. The ACES career fairs and resume workshops allowed me to practice interview questions, gain confidence in resume writing, and build new connections with people in the field. I am grateful for the networking I was able to do thanks to the sponsors and events that ACES had.” added Sydnee.

Sydnee urged students to grab as many opportunities as they can. “College goes by so much faster than you expect and it is a wonderful place to explore as many interests as possible. Go to the career fairs, network with people both in your sphere and in other fields, take classes outside your major, explore DC and all the fun events that are hosted, and in general, make the most of a time when such varied experiences are all located in such an accessible environment,” advised Sydnee.

Conclusion

As we celebrate ACES's ten-year milestone, we recognize the program's unwavering commitment to excellence and its role in shaping cybersecurity. ACES has consistently adapted to the ever-changing cybersecurity landscape, incorporating emerging technologies and evolving threats into its curriculum, ensuring that its graduates are well-equipped to tackle the cybersecurity challenges of the future.

As the program enters its second decade, we anticipate even greater achievements and a continued legacy of producing cybersecurity leaders who will safeguard our digital future. Congratulations to the ACES program on its remarkable ten-year journey. We look forward to witnessing its continued success and the profound impact it will have on shaping the cybersecurity landscape for years to come.