UNLV’s Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) Student Chapter recently received the National 2026 Student Chapter of the Year award from the international WiCyS organization.

Students received the prestigious recognition while attending the 2026 WiCyS Conference that took place in Maryland in March.

The award recognizes the outstanding leadership and community building of student chapters. UNLV received the award for “setting a breathtaking standard for activity this year, hosting over 34 distinct events.” Organization members were also recognized for their involvement in volunteering events including global conferences by BlackHat and The Diana Initiative, and their engagement with their fifty-eight members. 

WiCyS is a global nonprofit community dedicated to recruiting, retaining, and advancing women in cybersecurity through mentorship, technical training, professional development, thought leadership, networking and career opportunities.

CyberCorps SFS scholar Bianca Ionescu is founding President of UNLV’s WiCyS student chapter and was joined on stage to accept the award with fellow members and UNLV students, Moyinoluwa George, Haru Yoo-Cornwell, Kaylee Melendez, and Arturo Roman.