ITTA BENA, Miss.— 91첥 students outshinedSTEM studentsfrom across the nation during the2018Association of Computer and Information Science/Engineering Departments at Minority Institutions(ADMI)symposium hosted recently in New Orleans.
Themed “CompUtainment: Gaming, Graphics, Music, Visualization and Animation,” the symposium highlighted undergraduate and graduate research with particular interest on innovations in the computing field.
During the event, MVSU students won first place in the Cybersecurity Bowl Competition and second place in thehardening challenge using Raspberry Pi.
The winning team included MVSU Computer science majors Henry Akaeze of Nigeria; Shaniqwa Barber of Greenville, Miss.; KyanieWatersof Heidelberg, Miss;andLaAndreaGatesof Greenville, Miss. They were led byChristopherLanclos,MVSU assistant professor of Computer Science.
The team competed in thehighlycompetitiveeventagainst students fromseveral schools, including:Hampton University, North Carolina A & T, University of Alabama,Morehouse College, and Winston-Salem State University.
In addition, MVSU placed second in theComputerScienceQuiz Bowlcompetition. Team members includedKizitoNwakaof Nigeria;Mubarak Ibrahimof Nigeria;Arian Williams of Mound Bayou, Miss.;and KoranWright of Clarksdale, Miss.
Dr. Constance G. Bland,MVSU vice presidentof academic affairs,was invited to serve as thekeynote speaker for the symposium.
Blandcaptivatedthe audience with her profound speechentitled “My Story,"during which shetold those in attendance thatthey have the abilityto become whatever they desirein life if they work and study hard.
One key factor that she emphasizedtostudentswas that while on their journey to success, they must “learn how to losebut never quit.”
ADMI was founded in August 1989 and established as a national organization dedicated to exploring and providing remedies to the educational issues in computer/information science and computer engineering that confront minority institutions of higher education.
To learn more about ADMI, visit .
For more information about programs offered in MVSU’s Mathematics, Computer and Information Sciences (MCIS) department, call (662) 254-3422 or visit