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CyberForge 2024 draws students from across Virginia

Feb. 12, 2024

150 CyberForge  participants on stage

The 2024 CyberForge conference drew more than 150 participants, who heard presentations from cybersecurity professionals, attended workshops, and participated in a capture-the-flag competition.

Two students, one holding camera
Members of the Coastal Virginia Cybersecurity Student Association served as volunteers.

Students had the opportunity to network with industry sponsors and explore potential internship and job opportunities in the cybersecurity field.

Karen Ann Etulle, marketing data specialist and program manager at Horizon3.ai, conducted mock job interviews and provided feedback.

The event, held Feb. 10-11, was sponsored by the Coastal Virginia Node of the  Commonwealth Cyber Initiative, the Coastal Virginia Cybersecurity Student Association (CVCSA), and the Tidewater Community College Cybersecurity Club. 

Speakers included:

The capture-the-flag event, in partnership with MetaCTF, saw winners that included two teams from George Mason University (first and second) and a team from Virginia Tech (third).

Students in CyberForge logo shirts on stage
CyberForge volunteers included, from left, back: David Hopkins, Old Dominion University (ODU); Melvin Orienza, ODU; Aiden Everton, ODU; Jacob Slone, ODU; Zobair Wali, ODU; Jonathan Kaufman, Christopher Newport University alum; Nicholas Wiehr, Tidewater Community College; and James Read, ODU alum. From left, front: Nadine Maysud, College of William and Mary; Hannah Bass, ODU; Nathaly Flores, ODU; Karen Etulle, ODU; and Cayla Young, ODU.