College launches new programs, courses

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006

Prince George’s Community College will be offering several new credit courses this fall semester for students looking to become security analysts, property managers or entrepreneurs.

The Information Security Associate and Applied Science degree program is for those students looking to become computer systems security professionals.

Professions that fall under this major include data security analysts, systems security administrators, and network security administrators. The curriculum involves information security awareness, network security hardware, network security planning and defense, and network security organization. Though this program has been approved for the college’s course catalogue, it is still pending approval from the Maryland State Department of Education.

The Residential Property Management Associate and Applied Science degree was developed in cooperation the Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA).

‘‘Students in this program will receive a well-rounded business education and a basic understanding of residential property management components,” said Dr. Peter Battagia, vice-president of instruction for the college. ‘‘We are preparing students to work for apartments and office buildings. With all of the apartments and condos that exist, someone has to manage them.”

This semester marks the emergence of the Hillman Entrepreneurs Program, a collaboration between the community college, the David H. and Suzanne D. Hillman Family Foundation, Inc., and the University of Maryland College Park.

‘‘A student can be any major and we will give them the business skills to develop a business plan and build on other skills needed to start their business,” Battaglia said. ‘‘I haven’t seen this model anywhere before. It’s exciting.”

Space for this program is limited to 60 students and 16 students have enrolled so far. Hillman Entrepreneur students receive a scholarship covering 100 percent of their tuition and $500. Upon completion of the program, students have the option to transfer to the University of Maryland College Park where they can receive a scholarship covering 64 percent of their tuition and $1,000.

‘‘This is a major financial investment in students. This program is for students who may not have discovered their talents but are creative and talented in their own right,” Battaglia said. ‘‘Once they are in the program they will be provided with the support, mentoring and academic enrichment that will be centered around their interests.”

Prince George’s Community College is located at 301 Largo Road in Largo. For more information on programs and courses offered visit www.pgcc.edu.

E-mail Brooke N. Garner at bgarner@gazette.net.