M.S. in MIT
As we return to in-person education this fall, our M.S. in MIT Program will be offered exclusively in the Metro D.C. area. Built to complement a working professional lifestyle, classes will meet in person every other Saturday on the 16-acre campus of Valo Park in Tysons Corner and online two weekday evenings per month. The M.S. in MIT Program yields impressive results for its participants—approximately 30% are promoted or take on a new role during the program, and 93% of graduates report a full return on their investment in the program within four years. Check out this recent Experience McIntire article that contains additional details about recent program changes.
Cybersecurity for Business Leaders
With an ever-evolving cyber threat landscape, including the recent uptick in ransomware attacks, companies need leaders with cybersecurity expertise and know-how to protect their important assets. To be effective, cybersecurity programs require knowledge and leadership around these topics across the entire organization. Acquire the knowledge, network, and confidence required to build or improve security programs and energize your business career through the McIntire School’s Cybersecurity for Business Leaders Certificate Program. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for the 12-week online program, with the August cohort starting soon.
CMIT ∞ Announcements and Recognitions
In May, Ryan Wright, C. Coleman McGehee Professor of Commerce and Associate Director of CMIT, was appointed to the new McIntire School position of Associate Dean for Faculty and Research. In this new role, Professor Wright oversees all aspects of faculty life, including the advancement of faculty research and Center development. He will work closely with our McIntire faculty to promote excellence in instruction and research, and retain his leadership role and engagement with CMIT. Congratulations, Professor Wright!
Each year at graduation, the McIntire School and CMIT issue one undergraduate and one graduate program award to recognize students who demonstrate outstanding academic performance during their time at the Commerce School, in addition to contributing in other ways to the School, community, and the learning of their peers.
For exhibiting tremendous academic excellence while also demonstrating the core attributes of an emerging leader by displaying excellent communication, quiet confidence, integrity, and respect for others, Sebastian Heinonen (McIntire ’21) received the “CMIT Emerging Leader in IT Award.”
The M.S. in MIT Award for Excellence in Leadership and Technology is given to an M.S. in MIT student or student group for outstanding scholarship and contributions to the learnings of their peers. From the Class of 2020, the M.S. in MIT Award was presented to Erika Lee Elliston, Arun Gambhir, and Katherine Lee.
CMIT also presents an annual IT Leadership Award to an IT leader who leads their organization to deliver value through the innovative use of IT and contributes to the Center’s programming and thought-leadership. Our 2020 award is presented to Theresa Payton, CEO of industry-leading consulting company Fortalice Solutions and Co-Founder of cybersecurity product company Dark Cubed. Theresa has authored three books on cybersecurity and privacy in the age of big data, and addressed several UVA audiences, including the 2015 Knowledge Continuum and the UVA Business Ethics Society in 2018. Last summer, we featured Theresa in a CMIT virtual conversation about cybersecurity in advance of the 2020 U.S. election. She was in the very first class of the School’s M.S. in the Management of Information Systems (M.S. in MIS), the precursor to today’s M.S. in MIT Program.
Finally, we’d like to share several recent promotions and noteworthy recognitions from our M.S. in MIT alumni network. Business magazine Forbes recently published its CIO Next 2021 article, naming McIntire alum Michael Wisler (M.S. in MIT ’10) to its list of 50 Innovative Technology Leaders: Transforming Business for a Radically Different World. The newly launched annual list recognized Wisler, a Buffalo, NY-based Chief Information Officer at M&T Bank, for his contribution to his company and the area’s tech ecosystem in the form of a 250,000-square-foot tech hub in the downtown area of the city known as its innovation corridor. Earlier this spring, Stephanie Mango (McIntire ’94, M.S. in MIS ’95) was appointed President of technology and business consulting firm CGI Federal, leading 7,000 professionals and partnering with more than 85 government agencies to provide solutions for defense, civilian, healthcare, and intelligence missions. Lastly, in early July 2021, CISOs Connect announced their first-ever Top 100 CISOs (C100) Recognition and included CMIT Fellow and double Hoo Christopher Porter (A&S ’98, M.S. in MIT ’10) of Fannie Mae on the list. Congratulations to all!
CMIT ∞ History
Along with the Centennial anniversary of the McIntire School of Commerce this year, the Center for the Management of IT celebrates its 30th successful year of fostering and sharing IT knowledge discovery through cutting-edge events and programs. Murray Research Professor Ryan Nelson, who founded the Center in 1991, says that the greatest accomplishments throughout its 30-year history are those that embody its core tenant of interdisciplinary cooperation between academia and practice. Click here to read more about CMIT’s history, the key players who helped move the Center forward over three decades, and the evolution of its hallmark program, the annual Knowledge Continuum.
CMIT ∞ Events
The 2021 Knowledge ∞ Continuum continues as a yearlong series of virtual engagements, with 50 patrons participating in highly interactive quarterly sessions moderated by McIntire IT faculty and followed by breakout group discussions to debrief and network. The second program this year, which took place May 7, featured Shamim Mohammad, CarMax Executive VP and CIO/CTO. Our event recap includes highlights and key takeaways of the conversation. We also congratulate Shamim for receiving MIT Sloan’s 2020 CIO Leadership Award. Details and registration information for the 2022 Knowledge Continuum will be shared in our next newsletter, this October.
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Alumni News
Alumni news to share? Please contact Amanda Morris with details.
