March 5, 2024

This paid piece is sponsored by Dakota State University.

Dr. Fenecia Homan, dean of the Governors Cyber Academy at Dakota State University, speaks a special language: the language of an educator.

“I come from a family of educators,” she said. “I didn’t start with a blank slate.”

That language and classroom experience – she started her professional career teaching middle school and high school math – motivate her. Hired to establish the university’s pilot program offering dual-credit courses in computer and cyber sciences into a statewide program, she understands the importance of providing high school students with access to that coursework.

Currently, few schools in South Dakota have teachers with the skill set necessary to offer computer classes, and the state does not require high school students to complete any computer science classes to graduate.

“That’s what makes me really passionate about providing that access at a high quality,” Homan said.

To be effective, she cast a wide net when she stepped into the newly created position last year. She knew networking would be critical to the success of the Cyber Academy.

Homan applied for the Leadership South Dakota program to learn more about the state.

“What makes the communities across South Dakota unique? What are their challenges? What are their successes? I hoped to identify opportunities to connect with students and educators,” she said.

Homan also applied for the Leadership Academy with the National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships to strengthen relationships with professional colleagues.

“I wanted a better understanding of the research,” she said. “What are the best practices? How can we take what research and experts are saying and apply these things to the Cyber Academy?”

She did not expect to be selected for both programs but was.

Through Leadership South Dakota, she has gained an appreciation of the diversity found across the state and a better understanding of how limited resources impact school districts. She also has met community leaders who are helping her answer a key question.

“How can we get into our rural communities?” Homan said, identifying the hurdle.

Recently, while returning from Rapid City, where the Cyber Roadshow – one of the Cyber Academy’s enrichment opportunities – engaged more than 100 students, the team stopped in Murdo, a small, rural South Dakota community. There, they worked with eighth grade students, primarily because Homan met the community’s economic development director through Leadership South Dakota.

Through the NACEP Leadership Academy, she has been able not only to learn about successful programs in other parts of the country, but also to affirm that DSU is on the right track with the Cyber Academy.

“We checked every single one of the four best practices,” Homan said, referencing recently released research findings.

The university achieves this through outreach to rural communities with dual-credit coursework taught by faculty members in The Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences. The Cyber Academy also provides students with mentoring and wraparound support. These courses enable high school students to complete the first year of a bachelor’s degree.

Homan is especially proud of the faculty’s commitment to the program.

“They are the ones that make the initiative work,” she said. “They don’t lower their expectations, but they have patience.”

What Homan has learned through participating in concurrent leadership programs is enabling her to work with faculty to build the Cyber Academy into a program that is exceeding expectations. The goal for the first year was 20 students across the state. Instead, 54 students enrolled in the fall, and 62 students in 34 schools enrolled in the spring semester.

She knows that in addition to what she has learned and the faculty’s dedication, the Cyber Academy is successful because it’s a well-supported, well-funded initiative.

“It’s very unique to have a statewide model,” Homan said.