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This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
FBI Recognizes NSU for Safe Online Surfing Program
From left: Daryl Hulce, NSU FBI-SOS program administrator; John Gilles, special agent in charge at Miami FBI Office; Ray Ferrero Jr., NSU chancellor; Kimberly Durham, Psy. D., executive dean for administration and human services at NSU’s FIschler School of Education and Human Services; Frank DePiano, Ph.D.; NSU provost; George Hanbury, Ph.D., NSU president; Scott McMillan, acting unit chief in FBI’s Cyber Division.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation recently held an awards ceremony recognizing NSU for its role in developing and implementing a program to teach elementary and middle school students online safety.
More than 62,000 students in 37 different states have completed the FBI-SOS (Safe Online Surfing) Internet Challenge since it launched six years ago. FBI-SOS is a free, educational, online program that teaches students how to recognize and react to online dangers. Students take web-based quizzes and review specific websites aimed at promoting online safety.
FBI-SOS was developed in cooperation with the FBI Crimes Against Children Unit at the Miami FBI Office and is administered by the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation, part of the Fischler School of Education and Human Services at NSU. In Dec. 2009, FBI-SOS was adopted as a national initiative by the FBI Cyber Division, providing the program with additional resources.
NSU Chancellor Ray Ferrero Jr., left, accepts a grant from Tom and Barbara Walser and their son Tommy. It was the 11th annual grant to NSU from the Walsers supporting the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation and the FBI-SOS program. Their total contributions to NSU now surpass $1 million.
“NSU has spearheaded a campaign that has educated and empowered children through an interactive and fun online Internet challenge,” said Nickolas B. Savage, FBI supervisory special agent with the Innocent Images National Initiative in the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. “NSU’s continued commitment and partnership with the FBI has helped children make better informed decisions while they use the Internet. The FBI, through its Innocent Images National Initiative, looks forward to a long-lasting partnership with NSU and addressing the challenge of keeping all children who use the Internet safe.”
At the awards ceremony held at NSU’s main campus on May 10, representatives from FBI headquarters recognized individuals and organizations at NSU, as well as the Miami FBI Office involved in launching FBI-SOS. Those recognized included:
- Patrice Krupa, an NSU alumna and FBI-SOS supporter
- Tom and Barbara Walser, FBI-SOS supporters through an annual grant to NSU
- Tery Howard, senior vice president and chief technology officer with the Miami Dolphins
- Jeff Green, community outreach specialist with the Miami FBI Office
- Jim Lewis, special agent with the Miami FBI Office
- Joanne Santivasci, NSU FBI-SOS program administrator
- Alex Velasquez, NSU FBI-SOS IT developer
- Daryl Hulce, NSU FBI-SOS program administrator
- NSU’s Fischler School of Education and Human Services
- Nova Southeastern University
In addition, Tom and Barbara Walser presented their 11th annual grant to NSU supporting the Common Knowledge Scholarship Foundation and the FBI-SOS program. With this year’s grant, the total contributions from the Walsers to NSU surpassed $1 million.
More information on FBI-SOS is available at http://www.fbi-sos.org/.