Student Affairs Assessment Leaders recently recognized Abhinav Varma Vathadi, current graduate student in the Masters of Professional Studies in Data Science program (graduating in spring 2026) and data scientist graduate assistant in the Division of Student Affairs as the recipient of the Outstanding Student Contributions to Assessment Award. This is an individual award for a full-time graduate or undergraduate student for their contributions to assessment at their institution and in the assessment community. 

Award nominator Dr. Mary Ellen Wade, director of assessment and planning, stated, "Abhinav's work exemplifies curiosity, responsibility, and collaboration, and has significantly strengthened the division's capacity for data-informed decision-making. Abhinav has contributed to a culture of shared learning across Student Affairs by developing presentations and guides to help staff confidently interpret and use data. His work reflects a commitment to student success and institutional storytelling." 

Dr. Wade nominated Abhinav for this award for the ways he has used his data science background to partner with Retriever Integrated Health, Student Engagement, and other student affairs departments to assist with assessment, particularly for his expertise with Tableau dashboards.

Student Affairs Assessment Leaders is an international volunteer-led community of practice dedicated to advancing equity-centered, high-quality assessment within higher education student affairs divisions. It serves as a professional network for educators to share, learn, and collaborate on measuring student learning, co-curricular success, and program effectiveness.

When AI Gets in the Way: Designing for Struggle in the Age of the Helpful Assistant

12-1pm ET Wednesday, Feb 11, 2026, online

Register here

Local Government Cybersecurity: A Theoretical Model

Laura Mateczun, JD, MPS, PhD

12-1 ET Friday, Feb. 6, 2026, online via WebEx

Local governments in the United States face growing cybersecurity threats but often operate with limited resources, inconsistent policy implementation, and varied technical capacities. Despite increasing attention to cybersecurity in the public sector, few empirical studies have examined the underlying relationships that shape cybersecurity management at the local level. This research addresses that gap by using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to identify and validate latent factors that characterize cybersecurity practices among local governments.

Drawing on survey data collected in 2016 and 2022, this study empirically validates a six-factor model encompassing Training, Policies, Actions, Awareness, Support, and Tools. The findings suggest that cybersecurity readiness in local governments is best understood as a multi-dimensional construct driven by governance, including organizational behavior and leadership engagement, rather than by technology alone. Strong factor structures for training, awareness, and support highlight the central role of human-centered factors, while weaker results for the tools factor suggest variability in technical implementation and maturity.

The findings have theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, this research advances the emerging field of local government cybersecurity management by providing a validated model structure. Practically, it identifies specific areas for improvement, including the need for more targeted and recurring training, stronger alignment between specific cybersecurity actions and policy development, more consistent adoption of tools, and greater cross-departmental collaboration. The research also addresses limitations related to sampling, model modifications, and non-longitudinal design, and proposes directions for future research, including structural equation modeling and longitudinal studies, to refine further the theory of cybersecurity management among local governments.

Laura Mateczun is the associate director of Digital Trust and assistant director of the UMBC Cybersecurity Institute at UMBC, where she also serves as a visiting assistant teaching professor in the Department of Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. She is also the director of UMBC's Cybersecurity Clinic, which connects students with opportunities to support public organizations across Maryland in addressing real-world cybersecurity challenges. In 2025, she earned the PhD in public policy at UMBC working under Dr. Lauren Hamilton-Edwards.

Support for this event was provided in part by the National Science Foundation under SFS grants DGE-1753681 and 2438185. The UMBC Cyber Defense Lab meets biweekly Fridays 12-1pm.  All meetings are open to the public.