Walter Bumphus, president and CEO of the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), will serve as vice chair of the Homeland Security Academic Partnership Council (HSAPC).
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas noted that Bumphus is “uniquely qualified to help lead this council, which was established to address critical issues at the intersection of education, academia and homeland security.”
HSAPC is tasked with examining ways to coordinate on funding, security and research areas that will advance the mission of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) related to cybersecurity, academic programs, research and expanding the opportunities for filling this critical workforce pipeline.
“I am honored to represent the nation’s community colleges,” Bumphus said. “Education and workforce development are hallmarks of the nation’s community colleges, and we stand ready to showcase the vast and intricate network of the workforce education happening on our campuses which will help to inform this committee’s work across sectors to identify ways to strengthen our nation’s pipeline of skilled Americans ready to succeed in the rapidly advancing technology and cybersecurity sectors.”
The newly appointed members represent higher education associations, campus law enforcement, two- and four-year colleges and universities, historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribal Colleges, and Asian American and Pacific Islander-serving institutions. Cynthia Kelley, president of Kentucky’s Madisonville Community College, will also serve on the council.
Elisa Villanueva Beard, CEO of Teach for America, is the committee’s chair. HSAPC is scheduled to meet in August.
