A digitized world with potential hackers at every turn has caused some colleges to adjust the path of learning to address the latest trends.
Neumann University in Aston, Pa., celebrated the arrival of its new data analytics lab with a grand opening Jan. 24.
This high-tech space on the third floor of the Rocco Abessinio Building is complete with glass walls, six TV screens, and computers that rise from underneath desks with the simple push of a button. According to Lawrence DiPaolo, vice president of academic affairs, creating this lab took less than two years.
“In eighteen months, we went from the idea to what you see in front of you,” he said. During this time, Neumann also added two new majors — data analytics and cyber security — to its business department. He said these developments will extend the career paths for students who consider enrolling at Neumann.
At the grand opening, DiPaolo and Chris Domes, Neumann’s president, stressed how important this lab will be for business, information management, data analytics and cyber security majors. The skill that these students will acquire is “a real need in the business community and it is something our students can do,” DiPaolo said.
Students in these degree programs will have opportunities to use hacking techniques for a good cause, he said. Cyber security is a major issue that corporations grapple with, and thanks to Neumann’s advancements in technology, students will partake in hacking preventative simulations. Faculty and staff agreed that this type of skill is crucial for protecting companies from outside threats.
Neumann officials Eric Wellington, Tom Dodds and James Waters showed off technology that allows students to view stock market fluctuations in real time. Wellington, dean of the business and information management department, said he shares enthusiasm of the students.
“Students will set themselves apart from other applicants,” Wellington said.
The data analytics lab provides convenience for students and professors, officials said. Resources are readily available for every class session which allows for an engaging environment for everyone in the lab.
Domes emphasized the importance of Neumann’s core values and how they inspired the lab and two new majors. Allowing students to use their knowledge to help good causes in their communities, the data analytics lab reinforces those values, Domes said.
