Multinational software corporation SAP has offered support for Drexel University’s College of Computing & Informatics (CCI) as part of their SAP University Alliances program and in support of several academic and scholarly initiatives in the cybersecurity field.
SAP’s donation aims to further engage and support Drexel’s cybersecurity educational experience, specifically through the College’s annual Philly Codefest hackathon event, summer programs, senior capstone program, and student conference attendance.
“SAP was one of the first companies to join our Corporate Partners Program in 2017 and continues to play a key role in educating and employing our students and alumni,” said Isaac L. Auerbach Professor and CCI Dean Yi Deng, PhD. “We are deeply grateful to SAP for their generous support of our College in helping to prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.”
“By supporting universities that champion cybersecurity programs, like Drexel University, it is SAP’s plan to foster the future talent pipeline with qualified professionals and addressing the skills gap. SAP has been recognized for a number of employee awards in countries and regions all around the world and serves as a launchpad for young professionals across the globe, and cybersecurity is no exception.” says Tim McKnight Chief Security Officer of SAP.
Elena Kvochko, Chief Trust Officer, says “Partnerships are paramount to expanding the pool or talent in today’s workforce. SAP looks forward to the ongoing collaboration with Drexel to expand and advance the University’s education program with professional experience in the growing field of cybersecurity.”
As part of their gift, SAP served as event sponsor of this year’s Philly Codefest — one of the Colleges’ largest events and the University’s largest hackathon. The event brings students and professionals together to develop innovative solutions to solve real-world challenges. SAP also awarded a team of Drexel students for “Most Innovative” hack with a $1,000 prize and visit to their headquarters in Newtown Square, PA.
SAP will also serve as a track sponsor for the Drexel University Digital Development Camp (July 11 to 28) — a two-and-a-half-week hybrid program led by CCI faculty and student leaders for high school juniors, seniors and accepted CCI students who are interested in gaining practical knowledge in areas such as cybersecurity, full stack Web development, and data science.
CCI's Senior Project — a multi-term capstone experience for seniors involving in-depth study and application of computing and informatics knowledge — will now also have support from SAP’s generous gift. With SAP’s support, this signature, experiential program will allow Drexel CCI students to further expand and apply their skills beyond the classroom in collaborating with industry to solve real-world problems.
Each year, the College sends undergraduate and graduate students to a variety of professional conferences, which provide opportunities for students to network with top tech companies and learn from thought leaders and innovators in the tech world. Thanks to SAP’s gift, CCI students will be able to attend top tech conferences, such as the Women in Cybersecurity (WiCys) Conference, ISACA Conference, The Diana Initiative, and Black Hat USA 2022.
This gift marks Drexel CCI’s joining of SAP’s University Alliances program, which enables academia to educate the next generation for the Intelligent Enterprise and the experience economy, engage at SAP events, build industry partnerships, and prepare graduates for the SAP ecosystem. To learn more, visit the University Alliances program website.