College of Computing highlights graduating class, cybersecurity at Innovation Day

Cybersecurity experts — from GVSU and West Michigan — gathered at the Eberhard Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus to discuss the technology’s future as well as honor and celebrate the College of Computing’s largest graduating class. 

The College’s biannual Innovation Day welcomed some of the region’s top tech leaders for a series of panel discussions on cybersecurity and its applications. Following the panel talks, dozens of graduating students from the College’s 194-member undergraduate and graduate class presented their capstone projects.

“The College was founded to prepare the right talent,” said Dean Marouane Kessentini to begin the event. “We are aiming to have 3,000 students five years from now, expand our research and prepare talent. Cybersecurity is one of those areas, along with AI and human-centered design. 

“The College of Computing was created to serve every student. We want to continue to expand research. We want to serve the community with the right solutions.”

Among the event’s highlights, former Ford and Steelcase CEO Jim Hackett sat down with Kessentini to give more details about his sponsorship of an artificial intelligence training program for business executives within the College of Computing. 

The program will equip business leaders with the skills to leverage AI for growth and innovation in their industries, while also fostering a deep understanding of the social and ethical challenges posed by the technology.

Hackett said the program will also provide flexibility for professionals with its part-time, hybrid schedule, Hackett said, and is expected to launch in Fall 2025. 

“The inspiration came from early work I was doing with President (Philomena V.) Mantella on the future of learning, which then exposed me to Marouane and this new position as dean that he was taking,” Hackett said.

“In the course of these conversations, it has occurred to me that businesses would benefit if they could come to Grand Valley to get early insights into the expansion and development of AI, and there is no better place to house that in West Michigan than Grand Valley.”