Cyber Fiesta Brings Together Students and Industry Leaders

To kick off the fiesta season, St. Philip’s College hosted its annual Cyber Fiesta on April 8, bringing together nearly 300 high school students, educators, industry professionals, and community partners for a day of hands-on cybersecurity learning and exploration.

Held on the Martin Luther King campus, the event featured presentations, breakout sessions, student showcases and networking opportunities designed to highlight career pathways in cybersecurity and information technology.

The program opened with remarks from St. Philip’s College President Dr. Adena Williams Loston, who emphasized the institution’s longstanding mission.

“Since our founding in 1898, St. Philip’s College has been guided by a powerful mission to provide opportunity, to develop leaders and to equip individuals with the marketable and leadership skills needed to achieve economic independence,” Dr. Loston said.

She also highlighted the college’s recent milestone of graduating its first Bachelor of Applied Technology in Cybersecurity students in December, noting the program reflects the institution’s growth in high-wage, high-demand fields.

Cyber Fiesta, launched in April 2025, returned this year with an expanded format following its initial success. The event included sessions led by industry experts, including representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as well as student-led presentations and demonstrations.

Breakout sessions featured speakers from organizations including the San Antonio Water System, Arctic Wolf, Frequency Labs, and BreakPoint Labs. Attendees also participated in campus tours and viewed demonstrations from the college’s Cyber Tigers program.

The opening keynote featured an FBI Special Agent, who shared insights into cybersecurity investigations and national security. Additional presenters from government, defense, technology and financial sectors addressed topics including infrastructure security, artificial intelligence, threat detection, software supply chain security and cyber risk.

The event concluded with closing remarks after a full day of sessions, networking, and interactive learning experiences.

“Cyber Fiesta is where curiosity meets opportunity and where the next generation of cybersecurity professionals begins their journey,” said Academic Program Coordinator Candace Barnett.