Dakota State University introduces new dean of Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences

June 11, 2020

This paid piece is sponsored by Dakota State University.

When Dr. Pat Engebretson met his wife, Lori, at a wedding in 1998, the duo walked down the aisle together as a bridesmaid and groomsman. That same night, they struck up a casual conversation, which led to a discussion about a small technology school in Madison.

Fast-forward 22 years, and the two are employed at that same school, Dakota State University, which has grown into the cyber powerhouse of the plains. In May, DSU announced Engebretson as the school’s new dean for the Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences.

Long before his new title, Engebretson was a DSU student, enrolled in the university’s Master of Science in Information Systems degree. To help pay for his schooling, he worked several industry jobs as a software engineer, network administrator, security analyst and IT manager.

Engebretson fell in love with DSU the moment he stepped foot on campus, so it made sense that when DSU opened the doors to its  doctoral degree in 2006, he was one of the first to sign up. Throughout the program, he worked as a graduate assistant, where he discovered and evolved his passion for students and the classroom.

After three years of intense coursework, dissertation and teaching, Engebretson became Dakota State’s first doctoral degree recipient, with a Doctor of Science in Information Assurance. After graduating, he stayed at DSU and taught as an assistant professor in the College of Business and Information Systems. During this time, he taught classes and conducted research in cybersecurity.

In 2015, Engebretson was offered a position as the chief information officer at East River Electric. Though a tough decision, he chose to take a break from teaching and research to return to industry, where he has been ever since.

With his return to DSU, Engebretson took time to talk about his relationship with DSU, East River and his plans for the Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences.

 What was your position before coming back to DSU?

In 2015, I was offered a position as chief information officer at East River Electric. I decided to take a break from teaching and research, and return to industry. From 2015 to 2020, I worked with the employees of East River, providing electricity to over 250,000 homes and businesses across the eastern half of the state.

I learned a lot from my time at East River, including budgeting, organizational strategy, team and personnel management, and conflict resolution. I also embraced the spirit of humility that is prevalent in the organization. They work in a dangerous industry and provide a critical service to rural America, often working in the worst conditions — storms and severe weather — to keep the power on.

What brought you back to DSU?

The faculty, staff, students and the mission of DSU enticed me to return. I have always held a deep passion and respect for DSU. I’m hoping that my time as a CIO at East River has helped to prepare me to be a leader and advocate for Dakota State.

What have the first few weeks into your new position been like?

It’s an interesting time to start a new position, but despite the pandemic and remote work, I have to say it’s been a fantastic experience. Everyone has been incredibly supportive and helpful. DSU faculty and staff have made me feel very welcome, and working remotely has been exceedingly efficient.

I’ve been impressed with how everyone at DSU has risen to the challenge of making this scenario effective and successful. This is just another example of how great DSU is. Everyone has adapted quickly, not missing a beat.

How will your position as dean differ from your position as CIO at East River?

Like East River, DSU has a dedicated, talented team of individuals in the Beacom College. My job is to clear obstacles for faculty and create an environment that fosters student growth. While many of the functions are similar, I see my main role as the dean of the Beacom College as an enabler. I am here to assist our faculty and create an uplifting, dynamic and positive environment where faculty and students are excited to teach, research and learn. It is my goal to retain and hire an exceptional group of faculty that will enable recruitment and retention of top-end students.

How will your experience at East River help you determine the direction of academic programs at DSU?

I believe my industry experience will be extremely helpful in my new role. At DSU, our mission is to “provide learning that integrates technology and innovation to develop graduates ready to contribute to local, national and global prosperity.” We are here to educate and foster growth in our students so they can make an impact. Having worked in industry should help me to view the world through the lens of their expectations and needs, which in turn should help us better prepare our students to contribute.

How does this role compare to your previous role as a DSU faculty member?

As a faculty member, I was more focused on the success of my own students, classes and research agenda. As the dean, I work for all faculty and students in the Beacom College. Beyond that, I will facilitate activities between the Beacom College and the rest of the university as a whole. DSU is filled with amazing and dedicated individuals. It is my goal to remove any barriers and connect the different parts of the university for the betterment of our students, research and partnership opportunities.

What’s an interesting fact about yourself and your history at DSU?

When we started building new cybersecurity curriculum at DSU, there were only a few textbooks covering the topic. Most books were several hundred pages and neither my students nor I connected with them. I would see my students purchase these books and never open them – even I was guilty of it. So I set out to write a cybersecurity book that was accessible and to the point. At the time, the topic of cybersecurity was still a little shrouded in mystery, and books that centered on the subject seemed too obscure, so I tried leveraging my own learning experiences to provide a more succinct view of cybersecurity.

When I wrote the first edition, I had no idea how popular it would become. It hit the right note and really resonated with people, which prompted a second edition. Between the two editions, it went on to become a bestseller and has been translated into nine different languages around the world.

How does your history with DSU benefit you in your new position?

I believe that history is incredibly important. By taking the time to examine successes and failures, one can become a stronger, better individual. Along with many other determined individuals, I helped create new programs and degrees as well as increase enrollment and find new opportunities for students. I view my time and experience as a previous DSU faculty member as invaluable.

My hope is that by understanding our past, I am more empathetic and supportive of our faculty, staff and students. I also hope that by leveraging this history I can be an advocate to push us even further.

What do you think the most challenging part of this position will be? How do you foresee yourself overcoming that challenge?

The biggest challenge will be to continue the extraordinary work that has happened in the past five years and push the boundaries even further. To meet this challenge, I plan to clear obstacles for faculty, staff and students so they can continue conducting excellent work.

I also hope to find new ways to engage stakeholders – both internal and external – to motivate everyone. Furthermore, I plan to make sure the Beacom College’s priorities and strategies align with the vision outlined by President José-Marie Griffiths and Cabinet.

What relationships do you hope to create in your new position?

Relationships are incredibly important in any role because every person you interact with provides an opportunity to make a difference. As dean, I intend to focus on building strong relationships with four groups: faculty, students, Dakota State in its entirety and external partners.

What’s the best part of working at DSU?

The people. DSU is filled with exceptional faculty, dedicated staff and engaged, eager students. It’s an amazing community in which I am proud to be a member. I am incredibly humbled and excited to be here. If there is ever anything I can do to make DSU a better place, my door is always open.

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Dakota State University introduces new dean of Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences

He fell in love with the school as soon as he stepped on campus. Years later, he’s DSU’s new dean of the Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences.

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