Local High School and College Students Team Up at UAT for 24 Hours of Innovation

This Saturday, November 9th, students of all coding skill levels in the Phoenix area will gather on the campus of University of Advancing Technology (UAT) for CodeDay. This is a 24-hour event hosted nationally by SRND, where students are immersed in coding, build games and apps, learn a variety programming languages, participate in a cyber competition, attend workshops, present projects, and compete for awards and code-master bragging rights. The event is held three times a year to promote interest in programming and related STEM studies at a young age.

“Phoenix is seeing a 40% growth in tech jobs, so CodeDay attracts students that may have 0% interest until they’re exposed through events like this. We want to fix the pipeline issue with having enough tech workers to fill the demand that’s coming to the Phoenix area specifically”, says Jacy Smith, a well-connected local entrepreneur, Business Development Specialist for Perimeter83, Professor at UAT, and a long-time CodeDay Phoenix organizer, who UAT interviewed to gather insights to share with the local Phoenix community to boost awareness for future CodeDays.

CodeDay Phoenix events have brought in and connected up to 240 students at past events. Since focusing in on improving the quality of experience for students, the organizers have worked hard to strategically balance the three events throughout the year, and are expecting around 120 bright minds for the last CodeDay in 2019.

WHO PARTICIPATES AT CODEDAY?

CodeDay is generally attended by high school students, but middle schoolers, college students, and anyone under 25 can register to attend. It’s a great event for student programmers, artists, actors, and anyone that is interested in tech to come and participate.

Jacy emphasized that CodeDay is also a huge supporter of contributing to the increase of Women in STEM fields and Women in Tech. On average, around 40% of CodeDay attendees at each event are female, which is a great accomplishment for a tech-centric coding event. Jacy and her fellow CodeDay organizers work hard to keep the events demographically balanced, diverse, and inclusive. CodeDay national provides the organizing committee a dashboard to give them detailed insights on who is attending, and that’s how they are able to be proactive in promotion and recruitment efforts.

If you want to hone and test your coding or game design skills, learn a new programming language, app development, or practice public speaking and working with a team, and if you’ve never had any experience with coding but want to learn, CodeDay is the perfect place to go for a fun and fast deep-dive.

WHAT HAPPENS AT CODEDAY?

This weekend’s participants will arrive early on Saturday morning to get fueled up at UAT’s cafe, settle in, and then the kick-off begins in UAT’s innovation theater. Students will be greeted, the mission and opportunities of CodeDay will be presented, inspiration will be delivered, and teams — including any students that have attended alone — will get connected to one another. Following the kick-off, participants will attend workshops such as ‘Intro to Coding’, ‘Big Data’, ‘Project Management’, and more to get the fundamentals they need to begin their projects.

In the evening, students will team up to compete in an exciting, nation-wide cyber security competition, ‘Capture the Flag’. At 10:00 pm, halfway through the event, there will be a lively game tournament. Throughout the early morning, students will continue to work on game and app development projects and will be judged at Sunday’s awards ceremony at 10:00 am to then conclude the event.

For attending, other than the many awards that are given out, students earn a certificate and real-world production experience they can utilize for their resumes and portfolios.

WHY CODEDAY IS IMPORTANT FOR THE PHOENIX COMMUNITY

CodeDay is one of a few local resources for Phoenix students to come together and experience tech in a well-organized, real-world production environment; get exposure to coding, programming, and local tech talent from around the world; get access to potential mentors; learn about internships with companies; and be exposed to incredible community tech resources like UAT’s 100% STEM university campus.

 

“Getting students together to experience the combination of creativity, tech, innovation, and trying something new is what CodeDay is all about.”, stated Jacy Smith.

Within 24 hours, students are able to learn coding and new programming languages, compete and create projects in the topics of cyber security, video game production, and app development, hone skill-sets like design and project management, and pick up soft skills like leadership, collaboration, and public speaking. Another take-away is the opportunity to make friends and get kids connected to people within the tech community to support their growth and help get them where they want to go in life. The opportunity and impact for any one individual can be incredible and life-changing.

“Watching students have confidence to come in without knowing anything about coding and make something into a project that they present to judges on Sunday morning when they’re exhausted, but so excited about the work they’ve accomplished, what they’ve learned, and the opportunities ahead, is really something to see and be a part of, and why I continue to help put on this event. I’ve never missed one.”, said Jacy Smith.

Jacy shared several inspiring accounts of coding innovation she’s seen take place at past CodeDay Phoenix events over the last five years. Once, a group of middle school students who had never coded before won the ‘Best in Show’ award (most prestigious award at CodeDay) with a retro game they designed. At another event, a group of talented Physics students made an advanced calculator with a new programming language that they had learned at that very CodeDay, and it blew the judges and mentors away. Occurring before the widely-used ‘Neighborhood’ app was developed, a group of all female students built a similar app designed for those within their local communities to connect and easily report problems and discuss topics going on in their neighborhood in order to get issues resolved more quickly.

To get an idea of how CodeDay impacts students outside of the event, many that have competed have embarked down successful pathways they may not have had the opportunity to lead without an experience like this. Whether they’ve transitioned to advancing tech studies in high school, are earning their undergraduate or graduate degrees in STEM majors at elite tech universities like UAT, have created their own tech start-ups, or have gone on to be successful in high-paying and in-demand tech careers, they’re working toward filling in the tech-talent gaps that are currently and will continue to be an issue in the workforce.

For example, a returning CodeDay female participant currently enrolled at the Phoenix Coding Academy has started a non-profit that benefits local kids in need of school supplies and hygiene products. After high school, several students have been recruited from CodeDay events to college tech internships with progressive companies such as State Farm. And as one example of a career path, one previous CodeDay Phoenix participant is now a prime cyber defense expert for American Express, one of the largest banking organizations in the world.

HOW LOCAL TECH COMPANIES AND THE COMMUNITY CAN GET INVOLVED WITH CODEDAY PHOENIX

CodeDay continues to provide these amazing events and opportunities to promote interest and provide opportunities to students because of organizers like Jacy Smith and her CodeDay crew, as well as hosts like UAT, who is well-known in the community for moving the needle and getting kids excited about STEM careers through its advancing technology campus and innovative degrees, as well as sponsoring tech companies like State Farm, that provide mentors and volunteers from the local community.

“UAT has hosted CodeDay for us for several years and is one of the easiest and most advanced tech event spaces to work with in Phoenix,” said Jacy. “I’ve been working directly with them [event committee at UAT] for the last four years, and CodeDay is how I originally heard of UAT and got connected in its amazing tech community. It’s a really innovative campus and makes for an optimal CodeDay experience.”

State Farm has steadfastly provided industry experts as mentors and volunteers to CodeDay Phoenix, donates technology such as laptops for students to use at the events, and supports CodeDay significantly at the national level, allowing these events to continue across the nation.

Tech companies can join in to support the event by contributing to CodeDay Phoenix in small amounts like $250 or more, which also provides free marketing exposure. Tech companies can also provide tech mentors and volunteers to help with coordination and support students throughout the event, provide judges and/or promote internship opportunities with their company, and more.

The local community, tech-savvy or not, can volunteer by encouraging kids to register to attend, or adults can take on tasks like cooking for the attendees, making sure students are staying hydrated, taking registrations at check-ins, collecting waivers, and taking on a shift of supervising within the 24-hour event.

To get connected and support future CodeDay Phoenix events, please reach out to the organizing committee here!

Erin Ali, an alumna of UAT, has been a Producer in the gaming industry for twelve years. She is a Senior Producer at Turn 10 Studios working on the Forza Motorsport team. Erin has worked in production previously at other companies such as Blizzard Entertainment (Battle.net, Heroes of the Storm, StarCraft II) and Monolith Productions (Shadow of War) with twelve game launches in addition to multiple global product launches. She most recently spent the past two years working at Twitch with the Developer Experience team on Extensions and the Twitch Developer Site.

As I've navigated my career, I've found a number of tactics and advice that I've used throughout. I've also engaged with a mentee on some advice I've given on the matter as well. I was hoping to format the presentation around 'tools' that students can think about using as they also go through their career that can help throughout. For example, your voice (speaking up/asking for what you need), balancing scale for what you know you need in your career early/late (so how do you prioritize a good manager, content or team as usually you can't get a perfect score for all three every job you take) and other ways to help!

Fall semester is right around the corner and in just over a month new freshman will arrive on campus excited, nervous and full of ideas and expectations. One of UAT's best attributes is its ability to make everyone feel welcome and like family. Our campus isn't full of fast food chains and shopping malls, but it's jammed packed with tech and intelligent, creative people not only attending but also making UAT their career and home for educating other like-minded individuals.  

UAT Provost Dr. David Bolman (left) recognizes the dedicated Experience Leaders (EXL) who make new students feel welcome on campus. Because they successfully completed one full year of service, they are receiving a coveted letter of recommendation from Provost Bolman that will go into their portfolios. EXL leaders are enthusiastic, outgoing student leaders who apply and are selected by UAT to help familiarize new students with the campus, share insights about life at UAT, work on-campus events, and help them begin to feel connected and at home.

Along with EXL members, you can also find other student workers giving tours, working the front desk and other departments on campus. Almost every Monday you will see UAT staff and faculty walking around with black UAT shirts that say mentor. Each Mentor Monday students are encouraged to engage with faculty and staff outside of the classroom setting and learn more about "the real world" or career paths in tech, or even how to make the best ramen bowl on Thursdays in the UAT restaurant.

There's a reason why alumni come back and sit in on classes often and how quickly that anxious freshman feeling is only a memory. So if you're new on campus this fall and you don't know where something is or you have a question -- just ask someone.

Beginning to feel welcome already? So what are you waiting for? Take a tour today. uat.edu/tour

Terra Cooke

Network Security

UAT Graduate 2010

Internal control assurance processes and procedures, security governance, risk and compliance… these are a part of Terra’s daily life. With a career in IT advisory and consulting services, Terra has worked everywhere from the Department of Defense Information Assurance Certification (DoD DIACAP) and Federal Information Systems Control Audit Manual (FISCAM) to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA).

Because of her passion for security efforts, Terra is constantly improving her skills, education and opportunities. University of Advancing Technology (UAT) prepared Terra for her dynamic career in cyber security. Classes like Legal Issues in Technology and Identity Access Management gave her the knowledge foundation she needed to be successful in this career path.

Talking on compliance, Terra says, “Compliance is not a static word, and it takes a dynamic spirit to keep all the wheels turning.

Are you interested in a career in network security? Learn more about UAT’s Cyber Security degrees.

Have you run into this orange feline before? Max, the campus cat, is commonly seen prancing through the Quad. Because of his frequent visits, students decided to adopt him! Max loves lounging around in the grass, rolling in the gravel and following students for belly rubs and savory treats.

Next time you cross paths with Max, don’t forget to pet him and give him some love.

Candace Dodson

Major: Master of Science in Cyber Security

From the start, Candace has been interested in technology because of all the possibility it poses. Coming from the healthcare industry, Candace has first-hand experience with protecting private information for patients and healthcare providers. Wanting to grow and looking for some change, she decided to head back to school to pursue a Master of Science in Cyber Security.

Candace is excited to be going back to school, and says, “I have a lot to learn, but I’m hooked. It’s an exciting field.” She is eager to gain skills in detecting and analyzing data with defense implementation.

Candace has a yearning to constantly learn and University of Advancing Technology (UAT) encourages her to create and grow within her education. When she is not in school, Candace loves hiking and hanging out with her children, husband and dogs. Candance is inspired by her brother, Casey, who had always supported the underdogs and believed that you can’t live life in fear.

Malik Shaw

Major: Bachelor of Arts in Game Design

Since he was a child, Malik loved creating things. He started out building Legos and experimenting with chemistry, now he wants to create worlds within games. Malik is fascinated with how quickly technology advances, especially when comparing what was considered high-tech as a child to how rapidly technology changes now.

UAT stood out to Malik because of the degrees offered and the type of students that attend the school. Malik is a board, video and card game enthusiast, so being surrounded by people of similar interests was very important to him. Being encircled by technology-wired people lends to learning something new with every interaction.

Malik has many fond memories of playing game with his family and those games are what have inspired him to study gaming. He reflects, “Playing games, like Super Smash Bros. 64, for the first time with my dad and brothers made me want to create that same feeling of fun and enjoyment for someone else.”

Zachary Oberan

Major: Bachelor of Science in Business Technology

Zachary has always been interested in business. He would like to become a successful entrepreneur and views technology as a way to get there. His interests may not lay with hacking or coding, but he’s keen to start adapting business processes to technology.

Zachary found UAT through family friends and is constantly impressed by the wealth of knowledge he encounters when interacting with his teachers and peers. At UAT, Zachary feels that everyone wants him to succeed. Aside from business courses, he is looking forward to taking a few of the audio and visual classes UAT offers.

Zachary is inspired by legends like Nigo, Tyler the Creator and George Miller. These men have motivated him to pursue making beats, manipulating audio and running a successful business intertwined with music. Zachary believes Tyler the Creator “really just gave the people a different kind of music to listen to. It inspires me to put work into something new every moment of every day.”

University of Advancing Technology (UAT) boasts of many interesting clubs, including Kendo Club! Kendo is a type of traditional Japanese martial art that originated from swordsmanship. Through the combination of physical activity and teachings of self-restraint and discipline, students learn the basics of swordplay and respect for the opponent. Practices are every Friday night and comprise of activities such as defending against a constant attacker, armored first strike and verbal lessons.

Kendo is unique in the way that each practitioner develops their own style of swordplay. The current Kendo instructor, Allison, says, “You could spend your entire life training in one style, and when you get to a competition, you will fight somebody you’ve never seen before, and you have to learn to adapt to how they fight.”

Check out all the clubs UAT has to offer, and don’t forget to join friends at the Kendo club on Fridays.

Innovation is dripping from every corner at University of Advancing Technology (UAT), so it’s not surprising that the residence hall features five different Think Tanks. Congregate and create new friendships in the Think Tank closest to you. With technology at every student’s fingertips, it’s no wonder innovations to improve the world are constantly being discovered. AT UAT, students have the freedom to be visionaries to explore and test the unknown.

Are you interested in becoming a student where innovation is central to curriculum? Apply today!

Camaraderie between teachers and students is huge at University of Advancing Technology (UAT). This is especially evident in the Commons, where students and teachers alike join study parties, collaborate on projects and run scrum sprints.

The Commons also hosts student tutors to help on a variety of subjects, like robotics and digital video. When you’re looking to meet up with classmates or need extra help with a subject, check out the Commons!

We're serious about advancing technology and innovation. Get a better feel for our campus through our fly by drone tour or our live web cam feed. Don't forget to schedule a tour of our campus to see students at the heart of innovation for yourself.

University of Advancing Technology (UAT) students love bonding over food. From roasting hotdogs with knives to using chopsticks in untraditional ways, students are always coming up with innovative ways to prepare food. Whether it’s for a laugh or a cuisine craving, the kitchen is where the party is at! Join fellow dormmates and friends for chips and salsa or hand-tossed pizza. Good friends = good food.

Founder’s Hall is the center of UAT’s vibrant Residence Life Community. Situated right on campus, Founder’s Hall is just one minute across the quad from your classes and is the perfect complement to the UAT classroom experience. Make new friends and surround yourself with technology, innovation and learning. Join other UAT students in a unique living experience in Founder's Hall.

University of Advancing Technology (UAT) students love having breakfast together. One fan-favorite show, The Price is Right, draws everyone around the waffles. Socialize with your classmates and show off your market pricing knowledge when you “come on down” to breakfast.

Don't forget to set up your meal plan! Pick a plan that's tailored to your hunger needs—whether you're a Rookie or Grand Master, the UAT Cafe is here for you to feast.

Transform The Digital Age

Businesses of all shapes and sizes rely on digital and social media to connect with customers. University of Advancing Technology's (UAT) Digital Marketing bachelor's degree combines technology skills with marketing, target awareness and messaging in a field that is both analytical and creative.

As a digital marketer, every day is new and unique. Businesses, marketing agencies and startups are in dire need of those who have mastered the combination of digital marketing, web analysis, online advertising, campaign management and optimization and social media engagement. Today, consumer habits rely heavily on online purchasing, product news, daily shopping, dining and the need for digital marketing, web and social media skills outweighs the number of people with this combination of skills currently in the job market.

Students will learn digital advertising, SEO, mobile marketing and other technology-centric marketing topics. UAT prepares digital marketing students with the skills to build campaigns inside agency production environments.

Digital Marketing Degree (BS)

• Be able to lead the development of digital marketing campaigns and manage their performance
• Create responsive content that grows audiences and nurtures awareness for a company
• Be able to work with the dominant and emerging digital advertising platforms
• Change and optimize searches and platforms to stay ahead of shirting consumer patterns
• Design digital marketing strategies to align a brand's message, connect to audiences and influence purchasing decisions
• Learn how to work in an agency environment
  
  

Career Choices

> CRM and Email Marketing Manager > Digital Marketing Analyst > Digital Agency Account Analyst > Social Marketing Manager > Digital Marketing Manager > Search and SEO Manager

TRANSFORM THE DIGITAL AGE

University of Advancing Technology (UAT) was founded on the basis of creating an institution to incubate and train individuals to become leaders in technology.

For over 35 years, UAT has continued to evolve, grow and move right along with high-paced technology fields that have been created out of necessity and demand. UAT's innovative degrees are at the forefront of the revolutionary age with degrees in Cybersecurity, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence, Game Production, Software Engineering, Robotics and more.

Having the background as an intimate, private university with high-tech education, UAT built its curriculum, state-of-the-art campus and patent pending Synchronic Learning model to provide an education framework that prepares superior graduates to become tomorrow’s innovators.

That's why today UAT is proud to announce three new degree programs that were created out of industry demand and new business growth seeking digital warriors.

  Advertising Art (BA)

 Data Science (BS)

  Digital Marketing (BS)

UAT's new programs are now available online and on-campus. Individuals interested in attending can click here to learn more.

Some can be nervous and intimidated while others are poised to learn and soak in the knowledge of great leaders. It was the latter that set me on a mission to meet with University of Advancing Technology President and CEO Jason Pistillo. First I had to figure out how to even contact the president of my university and how could I get an opportunity to soak in the knowledge and leadership skills straight from the source? I knew it had to be in person, not by email or by phone -- I also knew it was going to be a daunting task but I was determined to make it happen.

President Pistillo was my first choice. I had never met him, but I hear almost daily from my peers student coworkers that he is a great leader. I made the decision promptly to talk to my Student Careers Manager to help me set up an appointment in person with President Pistillo. Sometimes this situation can seem intimidating, but I knew I could learn so much from him and provide others with advice and information that I had to pursue it.

First Impressions

My first impressions of President Pistillo was a sense of leadership but also humility. He had an aura of power but also very humble with a willingness to listen. He started by setting a clear outline of the time put aside for the interview. He then began with history, leadership skills and his team, all information I soaked in. I learned so much from just the interaction alone I could go on and on about it.

Leading with Confidence

Leaders have always been the backbone to our societies and provide a working social dynamic. President Pistillo went over how he runs the school, how he handles being a leader and having people look to him for guidance. One specific area that really caught my attention was when I asked what he considers leadership clothing. He responded by talking about confidence in oneself. Confidence in what you want to wear, how you want to look is what makes a leader different in the clothes he wears. To side note this he also mentioned that reputation plays a big part of respect.

I learned that confidence in oneself is a large factor in being a leader. If someone does not know themselves, how are they going to understand others? This confidence is built through mastering skills, connections and personal thought. He mentioned that meditating over actions that you have made over the day and thinking over how it could have been handled better is a great step in improving areas of concern.

People Skills

He also went over that the skills he can provide to others is one reason he is in the position he is in. Every individual has skills that are useful and these skills can be improved, expanded and honed. Something that sets someone like President Pistillo apart is the skills he provides to his team but also the skills his team brings to him.

Success & Appreciation

We went over other content involving scheduling which was very intriguing and not something many people talk about. He spoke about how he schedules certain days for certain activities all day. One day he might have interviews and meetings scheduled only for that day and all day that day. The next day he might have a project he wants to work on that day and he only does that project on that day. Creating goals and planning for a successful day will result in success.

Showing others appreciation and how you care by helping and acknowledging people's success is a large portion of being a leader. President Pistillo went over how showing people that you notice the accomplishments or success they have achieved really shows you care for people as an individual and a leader. A leader cannot be a leader if they are alone, they need a team that they can work with every step of the way.

Falling on the sword

He mentioned that sometimes a leader has to make decisions that many people are not on board for. Some of these decisions have to be made or would otherwise yield possible repercussions or better results for the company, individual, or team. A leader has to fall on the sword and accept the impact and repercussions of every decision made whether it is good or bad.

A Moment to Remember

My experience in this endeavor was a moment at UAT that I will always remember. When pushing to further your knowledge and skills one will find unsuspected surprises along the way. This has served as a good step in furthering my pursuit of leadership and information and portraying that information to others. From day one, UAT has engraved the leadership spirit and mentality in my education, and this was an amazing example of that value UAT provides.

-Andrew M.

Physicist, engineer, inventor and honorary father of geeks – Nikolas Tesla was famous for numerous inventions but most notably the first alternating current (AC) motor and developed AC generation and transmission technology. According to the History Channel, “Though he was famous and respected, he was never able to translate his copious inventions into long-term financial success—unlike his early employer and chief rival, Thomas Edison.”

According to Wikipedia, “Born and raised in the Austrian Empire, Tesla received an advanced education in engineering and physics in the 1870s and gained practical experience in the early 1880s working in telephony and at Continental Edison in the new electric power industry. He emigrated in 1884 to the United States, where he would become a naturalized citizen.”

Tesla’s engineering successes and pitfalls were all a part of the process of being a true inventor. Much like the students at UAT, Tesla learned from his mistakes and took the learnings from his predecessors to build a lifetime of work. Here at UAT, the next generation of technology innovation begins the day students set foot on campus at the University of Advancing Technology. This technology college offers a technophile’s dream environment where innovation and passion for advancing technology are synthesized with the best of faculty and technology resources.

UAT’s innovative degrees such as Robotics, AI, VR, Game Design and Programming, Network Security and Business Technology are the stepping stones for future innovators. As they continue down their path at becoming the next fathers and mothers of innovation, we remind everyone this Father’s Day to honor the dads in their life and the inventors before them, because without them we’d still be stuck on rotary phones and wired technology.

Happy Father’s Day, from UAT.   

Creation of the U.S. Army 

On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress formed the Continental Army under the command of George Washington. Today, we honor the men and women who dedicate and sacrifice their lives to the United States Army by celebrating its 244^th year old birthday.

The service, dedication and sacrifices made by the men and women serving our nation in the United States military are recognized by University of Advancing Technology. Whether you are active duty, a reservist or a veteran, UAT provides a variety of program offerings, learning options and financial aid opportunities that support you in achieving your educational goals in a way that meets your needs.

We appreciate the sacrifices our veterans, service members and their families have made for our country. UAT was founded by a military veteran in 1983. Our military student support services, online degrees and policies are aligned to the unique needs of our veteran and military students.

Advance your civilian career, complement your military skills or pursue a fresh path in advancing technology. Whichever path you choose, UAT is committed to your success.

FAST FACTS

• UAT maintains ongoing relationships with several U.S. government organizations as a Center of Academic Excellence as designated by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security
• UAT’s Synchronic Learning provides an education framework embodying UAT’s methodologies, curricula and people dedicated to fostering an environment of innovation that promotes demonstrated mastery and job readiness.
• UAT is a member of the Arizona Veterans Association
• UAT is proud of its designation as a Military Friendly School
• An integral component of Synchronic Learning is SyncFlex, a flexible learning approach that provides real project experience for busy adult students.
• GI Bill®* and Yellow Ribbon approved
• UAT has dedicated staff and resources that will allow you to work through the application, admissions and enrollment processes, as well as help you find available funding for your education

* GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Army Veteran Spotlight

OLENA BURNESS

UAT GRADUATE, NETWORK SECURITY AND TECHNOLOGY FORENSICS

Originally from Poltava, Ukraine, Olena Burns majored in both Network Security and Technology Forensics. She came to the U.S. as a teenager and joined the army after high school, which helped pay for her UAT education. "UAT is very military friendly," she says. "I really appreciate the support I received. I’ve got to say, I love this school, the tools it’s provided me and the knowledge I've accumulated. I recommend this school to anyone who is excited about learning and can take a concept and run with it."

When asked how UAT is different from other technology colleges, Olena replies:

Leading-edge industry knowledge taught by the best. UAT’s Tech Forensics and Network Security programs are probably the best in the state because of the instructors. They are working in the field while they teach so you're always learning what’s really out there. One of my professors has even been an active member of the DEFCON Community for 17 years. No other college, in my opinion, offers that high level of faculty interconnectivity.

I’m a hands-on learner, which is also why I love UAT and would recommend it to those who may have different ways of learning. It’s personalized, and everything you learn offers a way to develop a project hands on or with a virtual machine to get it to actually physically work. UAT also opens doors to opportunities. I was selected as a volunteer for Black Hat, and got to attend DEFCON as well. When our UAT group was tasked with hacking the electronic badges for DEFCON, I was the first to do it. My instructor was so proud of me but not as proud as I felt about myself and what I accomplished.

Source: https://www.uat.edu/military

Source: https://nationaltoday.com/army-birthday/

Source: https://www.military.com/army-birthday

The University of Advancing Technology has been named the small/medium Businesses of the Year by the Greater Phoenix Chamber during the 32^nd Annual IMPACT Awards Luncheon held Thursday, May 23 at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix.

Small/Medium Business of the Year: University of Advancing Technology

“Arizona’s tech community is so important for the growth of the state,” said Dr. Dave Bolman, Provost, University of Advancing Technology. “As the only technology university in Arizona, we’re so honored to be recognized for our life’s work in innovating higher education for the betterment of our community.”

The two companies were selected out of eight local companies which are recipients of the Chamber’s IMPACT Awards, honoring the accomplishments of small and large Valley businesses and the positive influences they have on the business community and economy.

“This year’s IMPACT Award recipients illustrate the strong economic momentum in our city. They embody innovation, business acumen, and community giving,” said Greater Phoenix Chamber President and CEO Todd Sanders. “These organizations make an impact in our community every day and will continue to be stalwart leaders as our city moves forward as a national and global leader.”

Follow this link to watch a brief video highlighting each IMPACT Award recipient.

Large Business Category (More than 250 employees):

2019 Arizona Advocate – Lyft

2019 Community Champion – CopperPoint Insurance Companies

2019 Economic Driver – Fry’s Food Stores

2019 Exceptional Innovator – Barrow Neurological Institute

Small to Medium Business Category (250 employees or fewer):

2019 Arizona Advocate – Desert Botanical Garden

2019 Community Champion – Elontec

2019 Economic Driver – University of Advancing Technology

2019 Exceptional Innovator – Urbix Resources LLC

Photo : Dr. Dave Bolman, Provost, University of Advancing Technology, Monica Garnes, President, Fry’s Food Stores

Photo 2:  Todd Sanders, President & CEO, Greater Phoenix Chamber, Jason Pistillo, CEO, University of Advancing Technology, Dr. Dave Bolman, Provost, University of Advancing Technology, Monica Garnes, President, Fry’s Food Stores, Todd Kammeyer, VP of Merchandising, Fry’s Food Stores

###

About the Greater Phoenix Chamber

Representing 2,400 businesses across the Greater Phoenix region, the Greater Phoenix Chamber promotes regional prosperity by serving as a catalyst for economic vitality and strong communities. The Chamber pursues this mission by collaborating with business, political, and community leaders to grow the regional talent pool, create a regional approach to economic development and drive a pro-Arizona agenda.   

The Animation Career Review has been researching and ranking the nation's top schools for aspiring animators and game designers since 2012. UAT's Bachelor of Arts in Game Design is ranked in the top 20 game design BA programs nationally, top 10 in the Southwest and #1 in Arizona.

The goal of the Animation Career Review is to "give students and their parents access to ample information so they can make an informed decision about the school they choose to attend and the program they pursue."

The criteria for the rankings encompasses:

• Academic reputation
• Admissions selectivity
• Depth and breadth of the program
• Value as it relates to tuition and indebtedness
• Geographic location
• Employment data

One of UAT's top game design grads is 2018 alumnus Eric Fernald, who landed his dream job and bought his dream car immediately after he graduated. Eric works as a game scenario designer at CGI, where he works with the latest software and hardware in game development such as VBS3 and Unreal Engine 4 to create training video games, battlefield visualizations and battle scene reenactments for the United States military.

      Eric Fernald's Demo Reel

"I choose UAT because of the intimate campus setting and constant addition of new technologies on campus," Eric said. He cites hands-on classes such as Game Production Studio, tough-love professors like Matthew Marquit and solid support from the Career Services team as reasons for his success. 

UAT game design alumnus Tyler Feddeler recently landed his first job at a AAA studio as a lighting artist at 343 Industries, where he works on a little game called Halo. Even though his degree is in game design, Tyler got to take art and animation classes during his time at UAT too. It took him a while to discover his niche in lighting, but once he did, he went all in on it. 

Electronic Arts (EA) assistant producer Brandon Kidwell graduated from UAT with his bachelor's degree in game design in 2013. He has worked on multiple AAA titles, including the mobile game Madden NFL Overdrive. He built the 2018 Madden Feast program, which lead to high player sentiment and one of the highest revenue days of the year. 

Want to be like Eric, Tyler and Brandon? Check out our Game Design program today!

On May 2nd, President Trump signed the Executive Order on America’s Cybersecurity Workforce, recognizing the country’s information security professionals as a “strategic asset that protects the American people, the homeland, and the American way of life” and recognizing the need to enhance the mobility and professional development of the cyber workforce across the United States.

“With the right kinds of protections and the correct ability to respond when things do go wrong, a strong cybersecurity workforce reduces risk, fear and uncertainty in the world allowing for better global interaction and business expansion,” said Dr. Greg, Miles, University of Advancing Technology Cybersecurity Program Champion and Peak Security Principal.

                              UAT Cybersecurity Professor Dr. Greg Miles

The cybersecurity workforce protects the critical infrastructure of worldwide assets in important industries such as power, water, transportation and defense. Furthermore, a strong economy occurs when citizens feel like things are moving in the right direction. “If the organizations that are protecting our critical data and access are successful in doing that, there is a better sense of peace and prosperity,” Dr. Miles said.

To strengthen the federal cybersecurity workforce, the Executive Order tasks the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to establish a cybersecurity rotational assignment program to “serve as a mechanism for knowledge transfer and a development program for cybersecurity practitioners.”

“The key for success of this program will be a well-defined set of criteria and training that personnel passing through the program will experience, plus resources to continue to develop after the individuals have gone back to their own agencies,” Dr. Miles said. Since many organizations rely on contract employees to support their cyber programs, DHS will also have to consider how contract personnel will be integrated in the program.

The program will use the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (NICE Framework) as the basis for cyber skill requirements of program participants. To ensure consistency, the program will also “incorporate the NICE Framework lexicon and taxonomy into workforce knowledge and skill requirements used in contracts for information technology and cybersecurity services.”

“The NICE Framework is a ‘nice’ way to visualize an educational program that supports the goal of creating a skilled cybersecurity workforce,” Dr. Miles said. “UAT’s goals go beyond those requirements, by producing superior graduates that have shown demonstrated mastery, innovation and career readiness,” he added.

UAT cybersecurity faculty and curriculum developers map course content to match the NSA/DHS Center of Academic Excellence – Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) and NICE Framework requirements to show support and alignment with federal and industry needs and standards.

Do you want to join America’s cybersecurity workforce? Check out our cyber degree programs in Network Security, Network Engineering or Technology Forensics.