RCSJ-Cumberland and RCBC Host Free Cybersecurity Symposium Oct. 29

Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) and Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) will bring together cybersecurity experts, educators, students, and industry professionals for Cybersecurity Symposium 2026: Empowering the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Leaders on Thursday, October 29, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the RCSJ–Cumberland Campus, Luciano Center, 3322 College Drive, Vineland, NJ 08360.

The half-day symposium will explore the technologies, challenges, and career opportunities shaping the future of cybersecurity. Experts representing higher education, government, and industry will share their perspectives on protecting today’s increasingly connected digital world while introducing attendees to the skills and careers that will help secure its future.

Featured topics will include network security, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, firewall management, and data encryption and protection.

As artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies continue to transform the digital landscape, the symposium will provide participants with an opportunity to learn about evolving cybersecurity practices and discover the growing range of education and career pathways available in cybersecurity and information technology.

Attendees will have opportunity to:

• Hear from cybersecurity experts and industry professionals
• Discover how artificial intelligence is transforming cybersecurity
• Explore cybersecurity and IT career pathways
• Learn about real-world approaches to network security, firewall management, and data protection
• Connect with cybersecurity professionals, educators, and students and
• Gain insight into emerging cyber threats and the future of digital security.

Speakers include:

• Kay Prashad, Chief Information Officer at Cooper University Health Care, leads cybersecurity strategy and helps protect the systems, data, and services essential to patient care across a rapidly growing academic health system.
• Patricia Tamburelli, NJCCIC Cyber Training Education Specialist, is responsible for the development, coordination, management, and implementation of innovative cybersecurity training initiatives across a wide-range of audiences including those in K-12, higher education, and adult education sectors. 
• Sean-Alexander Edwards, System Engineer in Cybersecurity at AS&T – Lockheed Martin, is building on experience that began with a cybersecurity internship and developed into his current engineering role. His work and continued interests sit at the intersection of cybersecurity, systems engineering, and technology, with a focus on understanding how complex systems are designed, secured, and brought together to solve real problems. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Cybersecurity at Rowan University.
• Dwayne Watkins, Sr. Supervisor, Call/Information Center & Adjunct Professor at RCSJ – Cumberland Campus, following a distinguished career as a Forensic Tech. Detective, working beside local, national, and international agencies, and with more than three decades in the IT industry, Dwayne continues to share his passion for technology through teaching, mentoring, and professional service. As Call Center Supervisor and Adjunct Instructor at RCSJ, he educates the next generation of IT professionals.

Special Invitation to High Schools and Educators

Area high school students and educators are especially encouraged to attend and experience firsthand the rapidly evolving world of cybersecurity.

The symposium will offer students an opportunity to learn directly from industry leaders, explore cybersecurity careers and discover pathways to higher education and in-demand technology fields.

For educators, the event provides an opportunity to connect classroom learning with rapidly changing workforce needs and introduce students to the range of academic and professional opportunities available in cybersecurity and related technology fields.

Whether students are already considering careers in cybersecurity or are just beginning to explore their interests in technology, Cybersecurity Symposium 2026 is designed to help them learn, connect, and become inspired by the possibilities ahead.

The event reflects a shared commitment by RCSJ and RCBC to help prepare the next generation of professionals to protect our digital future.

Join RCSJ and RCBC on October 29 at the RCSJ-Cumberland campus located in Vineland, N.J. – register here.