Sisters create cyber resource

Dec. 1, 2021

This paid piece is sponsored by Dakota State University.

“Computers are becoming more and more a part of daily life,” said Mariel Klosterman, a Dakota State University network and security administration major. “If people know how to work with them, they’ll never be out of a job.”

Initially, these jobs would have had a networking or hardware focus, but now “there are so many areas in technology fields, and they keep coming up with new ones,” Mariel said. “That’s what makes the field exciting.”

Statistics verify Mariel’s statement. There are a multitude of jobs in cybersecurity, which can be grouped into seven categories, 33 specialty areas and 52 work roles, according to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies. New niches continually are being developed, such as policy or law and other skill sets, added Annabelle Klosterman, a junior cyber security major.

One of these skill sets is program development, a recent venture undertaken by the two sisters.

Both have attended conferences and cyber competitions and are active with outreach events through CybHER, a program of Dakota State University with the goal to empower, motivate and educate girls in cyber.

The two noticed that exploring technology fields is not something people tend to do by themselves.

“The outreach event sparks the interest, but it’s a challenge to keep it alive on their own,” Annabelle said.

“Doing things alone, like Capture the Flag competitions, makes the challenge harder,” she said. “Doing things together with a group is way more fun.”

Annabelle and Mariel took this concept to heart and worked together to develop a new program within CybHER, the Cyber Community Club, or Cx3, a long-term community of like-minded individuals, with efforts to educate middle and high school boys and girls in the STEM fields of technology and cybersecurity.

“It has been great fun to work with my sister,” Mariel said. “We complement each other and play to each other’s strengths.”

Cx3 features events, training, monthly activities and professional development, along with mentoring and networking for students and their instructors. These are things Annabelle wishes she would have had access to in high school.

“Teachers are a point of contact at schools and can help open student eyes to the cyber field possibilities out there,” Annabelle said.

Initially, “we’re working on how to best reach out to students and learn what engages them and provide new ideas to roll out so the program isn’t seen as automated or ingenuous,” Mariel said. Continuing with Cx3 program features will provide options to nurture these interests.

Cx3 also has resources that relate to different perspectives for peers, college students and industry professionals.

The end result of Cx3 will be to create a community where participants can learn new cyber skills and receive helpful advice as they move into or through work roles for their careers. After launching the club this summer, the sisters have had responses from across the state, from health care organizations and industry professionals such as SBS CyberSecurity.

The sisters’ idea was encouraged by CybHER co-founder Dr. Ashley Podhradsky, who was able to connect them with resources from the CybHER Vault program, developed earlier this year with First Bank & Trust.

“First Bank & Trust has been inspiring and motivating to us,” said Mariel, helping them move the concept from “just an idea between us to something we can share and get more people involved. We can do a lot with their help.”

“We are delighted to support DSU’s CybHER Vault,” said Kevin Tetzlaff, president and chief operating officer of First Bank & Trust. “CybHER’s mission of empowering young women to pursue education in cybersecurity is sure to open up significant opportunities for them, as well as enhance the level of expertise and diversity in the technology field, which benefits our company and so many others in this region.”

Annabelle agrees. “There are a lot of places this program can go. We’re very excited.”

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Sisters create cyber resource

These two sisters realized exploring technology fields is not something people tend to do by themselves, so they did something about it.

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