UNCW Students Honored for Excellence in STEM and Cybersecurity

On October 22, UNCW, in collaboration with the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) and the Carolina Cyber Network (CCN), recognized outstanding UNCW students pursuing careers in STEM and cybersecurity.

AFCEA North Carolina awarded a total of $6,000 in scholarships to four veteran undergraduate students in STEM disciplines, celebrating their dedication, service and academic achievement. Each student received $1,500:

• Jessica Horncastle – Intelligent Systems Engineering
• Gregory McNutt – Software Engineering
• Philip Sacratini – Biology
• Heather Scalzo – Cybersecurity

Additionally, CCN recognized Gage Bowen (Tec-Refresh), Tyler Gregory (NCDIT), Ahamed Fareeth (Trusted Ascent) and Benjamin Nelson (NCDIT) as members of the inaugural cohort of North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) cybersecurity interns.

The CCN–NCDIT Cybersecurity Internship Program connects students from North Carolina’s universities and community colleges with hands-on roles at NCDIT. Interns contribute up to 25 hours per week remotely, supporting the state’s cybersecurity operations and strengthening its cyber workforce pipeline.

“I would like to thank AFCEA North Carolina, CCN, and the leadership, faculty and staff of UNCW for their continued partnership and investment in our students,” said Dr. Ulku Clark, professor of information systems and director of the UNCW Center for Cyber Defense Education (CCDE).

Established in 2018 and jointly housed under the Cameron School of Business (CSB) and the College of Science and Engineering (CSE), CCDE promotes cybersecurity awareness, education and research, strengthening the cyber-defense posture of both UNCW and the broader Southeast North Carolina region.

These initiatives highlight UNCW’s commitment to developing North Carolina’s cybersecurity workforce and advancing the shared mission of connecting education with opportunity.

“Cybersecurity education is a strategic investment in the resilience of our shared digital future,” said Dr. Ron Vetter, dean of the College of Science and Engineering. “Our students are not only technically proficient but also prepared to tackle emerging threats with innovation and integrity."

Benjamin Nelson (NCDIT), Tyler Gregory (NCDIT), Ahamed Fareeth (Trusted Ascent), and Gage Bowen (Tec-Refresh) were honored as members of the inaugural cohort of cybersecurity interns at the NCDIT.