HAYS, Kan. -- In an attempt to educate students and area business on the importance of cyber security, the Department of Informatics and the Information Assurance Student Organization at Fort Hays State University held the first CyberCON security convention in the Memorial Union Black and Gold room on April 12.

"CyberCON allows individuals from FHSU, community colleges, and the community to see the latest trends in cyber security," said Jessica Tormey, Derby sophomore and CyberCON organizer. "Cyber security is one of the fastest-growing trends because computers are involved in nearly every aspect of our lives."

The conference was organized and driven by students, which provided an opportunity for students to schedule presentations they were interested in attending.

"Putting on this conference is very unique for a Center of Academic Excellence," said Tyler Thompson, Student Government Association vice president. "Most CAE's are driven by Ph.D. faculty, and student involvement is limited."

"It shows a great deal of initiative that the students organized and facilitated the conference," said Jon Tholstrup, instructor of informatics. "It also speaks to the university support of student activities."

"It promotes the strength of the Department of Informatics to prospective students in Kansas," he said. "It gives students an incentive to come to FHSU because they can be a part of the action."

Presenters included Josh Jones, an FHSU alumnus who is a senior network engineer at MSI System Integrators, an information technology services company out of Omaha, Neb.; Special Agent Scott Kice of the FBI Cyber Crime Squad; Brian Schneweis, systems engineer at Cisco; and Jason Zeller, Assaria graduate student.

Jones's presentation outlined his work in the information technology industry, how information security has affected his job throughout his career, what options are available for current students after graduation and the importance of education along with industry certifications.

"There is a constant argument about certifications and degrees. Organizations want a well-rounded individual, so certifications will only get you so far," Jones said. "Pursuing higher education and adding technical certifications will make you the most marketable person around."