SEC congratulates its first intern graduating class at APG

By Casi Tomarchio, Software Engineering CenterFebruary 24, 2011

SEC SCEP Master's Ceremony 2011
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

"These are exciting times," said Nelson Keeler, Director of the CECOM Software Engineering Center, as he addressed 16 of SEC's newest Student Career Experience Program Masters Program graduates Feb. 2 during a ceremony recognizing their academic achievements.

During the ceremony, Keeler presented graduates with a newly minted SEC coin and certificate of achievement. Major General Randolph P. Strong, CECOM commander, presented each student a CECOM commander's coin and a personalized two-star note commending them for their recent educational milestones. Six graduates earned the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service for attaining a 4.0 grade point average while supporting mission requirements.

"Your accomplishments are further proof that our employees are the best that the Army has to offer," said Keeler.

The ceremony was the first of its kind to be held at APG, according to Kim Hoyle, SEC intern coordinator. SEC was one of two U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command elements to relocate to APG last year. The graduates honored were the first to complete the program in Maryland, from start to finish, said Hoyle.

Previously, SEC had partnered with Monmouth University in New Jersey to offer the Master's Program.

This year's graduates matriculated at Towson University, the University of Delaware and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Representatives from each school were in attendance to witness the recognition ceremony held at the command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or C4ISR, Mission Training Facility.

"For the past two years, one of CECOM's top priorities is human capital and investing in the training and development of the CECOM workforce," said CECOM Commander, Maj. Gen. Randolph P. Strong.

With retirement around the corner for many CECOM personnel, and the turnover experienced since the command's recent relocation to Maryland, "CECOM is faced with rebuilding the incredible talent, experience and expertise that established and sustained CECOM's tradition of excellence for many years," said Strong.

"This program is a recruitment and retention tool designed to continually refresh the information technology talent pool," said John Oltarzewski, SEC chief of business operations.

Strong congratulated the graduates for reaching this education milestone and reminded graduates that the Army has a great demand for their special talents.

"Today's battle is being fought and won largely with the weapons of information warfare," Strong said. "Each of you represents our future and, based upon your accomplishments, I believe CECOM and our customers are in very good hands." He urged graduates to use their "energy, creativity and brilliance to do their part in helping to build the Army of the future."

SCEP graduate Benjamin Tillman spoke on behalf of the 2011 SCEP class saying, "This program was a good beginning that brought us in at a ground level to government work and familiarized us with government specific concepts, structure, processes and acronyms, lots of acronyms."

The members of the SEC 2011 SCEP Master Program graduate class are: Chantell Anderson, Sanae Benchaaboun*, Foteini Cheirdari*, Melissa Cohen, Theresita DiMatteo, Jason Dirla, Megan Farley*, Kevin Geier, Christopher Myers*, Evelyn Okoro, Comfort Quarshie, Taiwo Salau, Charles "Jacob" Thomas*, Benjamin Tillman*, Chirag Vani, Mayra Wiggins.

*Denotes Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service recipients