The summer session offered students a chance to engage in projects that enable Navy supply-chain readiness. It was the second part of a two-phase program designed to enable a smooth transition to federal civilian service at NAVSUP BSC.
“Programs like the DOD CySP help NAVSUP BSC attract and develop the next generation of cyber experts,” said Brian Zirbel, executive director, NAVSUP BSC. “By recruiting these talented individuals, NAVSUP BSC aims to create a workforce capable of addressing the ever-evolving threats to national security and ensuring the Navy’s readiness.”
During the summer session, students completed administrative processing and training requirements and worked on projects across five departments supporting numerous NAVSUP BSC efforts.
“My main tasks were building a contractor separation notification automation, and a set of charts for metrics about civilian separations, using Power BI and Power Automate,” said Benjamin Reno, a cybersecurity/computer science major at Indiana University of Pennsylvania assigned to with NAVSUP BSC’s Business Management department. “While working at NAVSUP BSC this summer, I not only improved my technical skills and learned what it is like to work directly for a customer, but realized I am part of a team I can truly rely upon. No matter what question I had, someone on my team was able to help me figure it out. I’m very excited for my future career at NAVSUP BSC.”
Another group of scholars, Malcolm Holden, Brian Wettstone, Joshua Kuesters, Christopher Westling, Benjamin Weiland, and Kenneth Etape, worked on the Ordnance Information System (OIS) retail scanner and mobile application.
“Working on OIS provides an opportunity for cyber scholars to engage with real-world challenges and apply and enhance their knowledge and skills,” said Anand Sharma, supervisory IT project manager, NAVSUP BSC Logistics Solutions department. “It also provides an opportunity to work with experienced specialists in a professional environment and focus their effort toward goal-oriented tasks in support of an enterprise mission. This program is a win-win for the organization and the students involved.”
The students who completed the summer session came from regional colleges and universities, including Carnegie Mellon University, East Stroudsburg University, George Mason University, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, James Madison University, Liberty University, and Pennsylvania State University. After completion of the two-part orientation, graduating students are hired as full-time employees. Senior-year and advanced degree students return to college to finish academic requirements.
“I learned a lot during this summer session and was able to experience what it was like working for the Navy for the first time,” said Brian Wettstone, a computer science major at James Madison University assigned to work with NAVSUP BSC’s OIS team. “I am building something I can be proud of and am looking forward to doing more for my country.”
As of August, NAVSUP BSC has hired 45 employees in IT career fields through the DOD CySP, including six from the 2023 class of scholars.
The DOD CySP is sponsored by the DOD Chief Information Officer and administered by the National Security Agency to recruit and retain cyber and IT specialists. Scholarship recipients incur a six-month service commitment to the DOD for each semester students receive tuition, stipend, book allowance, and a paid summer internship. To apply for the program, students must be enrolled in an institution certified as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity. Applicants must submit a package to the DOD CySP program office that includes a university sponsor signoff, resume, transcripts, essay response, and two letters of recommendation. Packages are due in February each year to be considered for the scholarship starting in the fall semester.
NAVSUP BSC provides the Navy with information systems support through the design, development, and maintenance of systems in the functional areas of logistics, supply chain management, transportation, finance, and accounting and is one of 11 commands under Commander, NAVSUP.
For more information about NAVSUP BSC, visit https://www.navsup.navy.mil/NAVSUP-Enterprise/NAVSUP-Business-Systems-Center/.
For more information on the DOD CySP, visit https://public.cyber.mil/dcysp/.