WiCyS She Secures, a student organization at Grand Valley State University, aims to provide women in cybersecurity a space to nurture the direction of their career path. The group assists students in the field of cybersecurity by offering activities, guest lectures, hands-on workshops and networking events. WiCyS also seeks to inspire confidence, and support its members in overcoming challenges specific to women in cybersecurity.
Women in college pursuing STEM careers can often come across many challenges. Within male-dominated fields such as computer science and cybersecurity, opportunities for women can be scarce. The group’s goal is to create a supportive environment where female students can explore cybersecurity and connect with mentors and professionals.
“There is a huge gender gap in the computing field (both in academia and industry),” said Jie Du, a professor in GVSU’s College of Computing. “Despite the phenomenal rise of computing, women are still not engaging with computing at the same rate as men. Research has shown that gender stereotypes in the academic domain are often inaccurate, and that female students outperformed males with respect to academic achievements in masculine majors, including computer science. It is important to break the gender stereotype in computing and promote women in this field.”
Dr. Samah Mansour, the faculty advisor for WiCyS, wants GVSU students in cybersecurity to feel equipped with the necessary skills to succeed in the field.
“The motivation behind the creation of the club was to address the gender gap in cybersecurity, an industry underrepresented by women,” said Mansour. “By offering resources, networking opportunities and role models, WiCyS encourages female students to pursue careers in this field, promoting diversity and innovation.”
The group’s outreach also aims to spark interest in younger students who are considering their options for higher education. By introducing K-12 students to the field, young women will be able to approach computing and cybersecurity with a more educated perspective. This initiative has the potential to help younger girls to discover their passion for cybersecurity, which could lead toward a more inclusive industry.
“Offering more opportunities (to) women in this field will break down barriers and gender stereotypes,” Du said. “Having more reach-out initiatives to K-12 (students has the possibility to) attract more female students to computing education. This will hopefully lead to a more gender-balanced labor force in the computing field.”
An aspect of the college experience that is critical to ensuring a successful, post-graduate career is mentorship. However, it can often be a struggle for women studying computing to establish connections with professionals due to the competitive nature of these fields. Strong mentors provide students with a foundation in their field by encouraging them to seek out advice and guidance. Through mentorships, students are able to form a productive and lasting professional relationship, which can enrich their time spent pursuing an undergraduate degree. The emphasis that WiCyS places on networking opportunities and developing mentorships has the potential to encourage women to feel emboldened in their choice to study cybersecurity.
Mansour emphasized that ultimately, as digital device and internet usage increases, there are more opportunities for data breaches, identity theft and malware attacks. To Mansour, dedicating more attention to the education of women in cybersecurity is essential in creating safer, online spaces.
“Moreover, by promoting a culture of cybersecurity, we collectively contribute to securing critical infrastructure, sensitive information and financial stability in our increasingly interconnected world,” Mansour said.
