Rowan College at Burlington County valedictorian Shanni Prutchi eagerly embraced her cybersecurity course load during her first semester at the school. However, it was one class with Information Technology professor Paul Warner that challenged her to reach her full potential. 

“It was amazing, and I’ve been fortunate enough to have him (Warner) for other classes, both in-person and online. Conducting student research for Lockheed Martin under his guidance was an incredible experience - both academically and because it furthered my understanding of the professional terrain,” Prutchi recalled. “He’s so dedicated to his students; he’s made us (cybersecurity students) what we are today.” 

On June 3, at 1 pm, tune in to RCBC’s Facebook Town Hall, as Prutchi and Warner discuss their experiences working together and learning from one another. 

Prutchi, an RCBC 3+1 Computing and Informatics major, often spent 10 hour days on campus adding finishing touches to the Lockheed Martin project. When Warner heard that she would be recognized as the 2020 class valedictorian, he was not at all surprised. 

“She deserves it; she’s an exceptional student. Whether it’s during a class discussion or a lab, she stands out,” Warner said. “The thing I like about Shanni is that she challenges you as an instructor, and she’s eager to learn. She’ll research a topic and come back with questions that engage the entire class. She was actually the first student in the program to earn her Security+ certification.”

Warner prides himself on fostering a classroom environment that breeds genuine excitement for the topics he covers.

“One of the things I always say is if you create enthusiasm in your program, students will want to tackle your projects. I’m here to guide my students, and once I guide them, they can take that information and run with it,” Warner said. “The ultimate goal of our program is to produce students who can function in the real world.”

Many of the cutting edge projects RCBC cybersecurity students tackle require the ability to adapt, while working with both old and new technologies.  

“When my friends who teach at other colleges and universities see the work our students produce, they’re amazed,” Warner shared. “We can do wonders with our programs at RCBC, and we’ve seen so many students earn their Security+ certifications and successfully enter both the cybersecurity and IT fields.”

To learn more about RCBC’s 3+1 program in Computing and Informatics, click here.