College of Applied Science & Technology

Attention high school teachers! Boost your cybersecurity teaching skills with the National Cybersecurity Teaching Academy. 175 scholarships are up for grabs for select certificate programs, including the Graduate Certificate in Cyber Operations. ?Get certified, get ahead!? Certificate of Cyber Operations information: https://bit.ly/3YLRYyd Scholarship Application: https://bit.ly/4hPdb2T Don't wait! The deadline to apply for the scholarship is January 15, 2025!

Veterans Day is a time to reflect, celebrate, and express our deepest gratitude to America’s veterans for their unwavering patriotism, love of country, and selfless willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Last week, CAST had the privilege of participating in the Sky Island Regional Partnership’s “Bring a Vet to Lunch” event at Fort Huachuca. It was a beautiful gathering, bringing together veterans, active-duty soldiers, and community members. A special moment of the day was honoring the youngest soldier and the oldest veteran in the room—a poignant reminder of the generations of Americans who have answered the call to defend our nation. To all who serve, we thank you wholeheartedly for your dedication, bravery, and sacrifice. You inspire us all.

Today is National First Generation Day! ?? Today we celebrate the courage, resilience, and determination of students, faculty, and staff who are the first in their family to pursue a four-year undergraduate degree. CAST faculty and staff offer their stories and advice as first generation college students in this article. #NationalFirstGenerationDay #FirstGenProud

Yesterday, a group of students from the College of Applied Science and Technology’s Cyber Operations program had the opportunity to tour the Wells Fargo Cyber Threat Fusion Center based in Chandler, AZ. This group of students had the opportunity to hear from the Senior Assistant VP of the WF Cyber Threat Fusion Center, George Wade, and connect with the team of engineers and analysts to learn more about how cyber threats are handled on their team.? ? A huge thank you to Wells Fargo for allowing us to visit your campus and share your work with our students.

Attention Graduating CIIO Students! As you draw closer to completing your undergraduate program, we'd like to invite you to learn more about CAST's Master of Science in Cyber & Information Operations- https://bit.ly/3YBA699 If you're considering graduate studies in cybersecurity, this program is an excellent fit for you. With the same faculty that teach our undergraduate Cyber Operations program, you can dive deeper into topics like traffic analysis, cloud security, information warfare, zero trust defensive techniques and more. Several funding opportunities are available through different federal government programs that could help you pay for your graduate studies and lead to employment after graduation. Many of those applications are open now and we'll discuss those during the meeting. Join our information session on 11/7 at 5:30pm AZ Time to learn more! Register for the information session here: https://bit.ly/3YTJzKb

??Your monthly dose of cybersecurity insights is here! Discover the latest news and analysis on threats in the November issue of The Packet. Read here: https://bit.ly/48CzPaL ?? #UofA #UofACAST #cybersecurity

?? Join the Cyber Service Academy (CSA) Information Session! ?? Are you ready to be part of the frontline in securing our nation's information systems? The 2025-26 recruitment season opens November 1, 2024! CSA offers full tuition, room & board stipends, and the unique opportunity to contribute directly to national cybersecurity. ??? Date: November 7 ?? Time: 6:30 PM (AZ Time) ?? Register now: https://lnkd.in/gPJTzytk Don’t miss out—make a difference!

In honor of #NationalTransferStudentWeek, I wanted to highlight the value of transfer agreements between two-year colleges and four-year universities. Transfer agreements are a wonderful way for students to maximize completed associate degree credits and spend less time and money on completing a bachelor's program. According to?a U.S. News and World Report study, students can lose nearly 43% of program credits when transferring between two-year and four-year colleges. Consequently, in cases where associate degree students transfer into bachelor's degree programs without transfer agreements, students may end up retaking classes previously completed and owing more money than necessary to earn their bachelor’s degree. ? The College of Applied Science and Technology offers an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) to Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) block transfer for Arizona community colleges and Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) graduates with a completed AAS degree.? A CAST AAS to BAS block transfer will allow AAS students an opportunity to transfer 75 credits into any CAST Bachelor of Applied Science degree.? This opportunity leaves students spending less time and money to complete their BAS upon transferring with a completed AAS! ? CAST offers Cyber Operations, Intelligence & Information Operations as well as Applied Computing degrees, minors, and certificates on the main campus in addition to online.? Come fall 2025, CAST’s Human Services and Justice and Global Security programs will also be available on the main campus in addition to the online program options.? CAST also continues offering the online Organizational Leadership and Regional Commerce program. https://lnkd.in/g2-RaWUi

National Transfer Student Week continues! Say hello to Adrian Cruz. He is an Intelligence and Information Operations major at CAST with an emphasis in Law Enforcement Intelligence. He said that during his transfer journey "everyone has been incredibly welcoming and has been willing to support me no matter the circumstances." Bear Down, Adrian! And thank you for sharing. #TransferStudentWeek #UofACAST #UofA Read Adrian's full interview below. I chose to transfer to CAST because I felt an immediate sense of belonging, and the degree I chose aligned perfectly with my aspirations. It directly connects to the passion I’ve wanted to pursue throughout my life. My favorite thing about my program is that everyone has been incredibly welcoming and has been willing to support me no matter the circumstances. Is there a particular faculty member, advisor, or mentor who has made a significant impact on your transfer journey? Ms. Saxton had the greatest impact on my transfer journey. Not only did she introduce me to the program, but she also guided me through every step of the process. What message or piece of advice would you like to convey to the broader community (of new/transferring students) during National Transfer Student Week? The most valuable advice I can offer is to connect with as many people as possible and network!

Here's to a true game-changer, Billy Teta! Embracing National Transfer Student Week with his inspiring journey in Cyber Operations. With his Associate's degree completed, he is leveling up with our advanced program. Your potential is limitless! #TransferStudentWeek #CyberOperations #UofACAST Read Billy's full interview below: 1. I chose to transfer to CAST because… I wanted to take my education further. Transferring wasn’t my original plan; I was just going to finish my associate’s degree and jump back into the workforce. But as I neared the end of community college, I realized there was so much more to learn. So when I was presented the opportunity to transfer to CAST and pursue the Cyber Operations major, I pounced on it! And as a Tucson native, being a part of the University of Arizona helps me stay connected to my hometown. 2. My favorite thing about my program is… The awesome mix of flexibility and hands-on experience. Being able to complete my degree remotely while still having plenty of engaging coursework has been great. Every professor I’ve had so far has been very knowledgeable, friendly, and willing to help whenever they can. I’ve also met some amazing peers who are incredibly intelligent and passionate about this field. 3. Is there a particular faculty member, advisor, or mentor who has made a significant impact on your transfer journey? My advisors have been fantastic. They’ve helped me plan each semester, making sure I didn’t take any redundant classes and that my transfer credits were sorted out. They’ve been instrumental in keeping me on track. I’d also like to give a shout out to the Cyber Saguaros Club! They’ve provided so many supplemental learning opportunities that have really enhanced my experience and helped me discover new interests in this major. 4. What message or piece of advice would you like to convey to the broader community during National Transfer Student Week? We’re all figuring things out, so ignore that little voice telling you you’re an imposter. Be open to new challenges and don’t hesitate to step out of your comfort zone. Focus on your progress, not perfection. And most importantly, remember that you’re not alone. Lean on your fellow Wildcats for support and always be ready to lend a hand back!