Robert Morris University has been named the 2014 Academic Seminar University of the Year by the prestigious Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars.

Recently, a group of thirty-two RMU cyber forensics and information security students traveled to Washington, D.C. to participate in The Washington Center’s academic seminar program. The seminar was based on issues of National Security and gave the students an opportunity to learn from leading national security experts. As well as this being an excellent learning opportunity, this served as an opportunity for networking with national security leaders.

The Washington Center chose Robert Morris University as its academic seminar of the year based on many factors; some factors being the Top Secret Colonials fundraising efforts, preparation for the trip, and devotion of the students and faculty regarding the seminar itself.

The students were lucky to have been at the seminar in D.C. while there was extreme information security controversy happening here in Pittsburgh, PA. The group happened to be visiting the Chinese Embassy just hours after it was announced that the U.S. government filed criminal charges of cyber espionage against Chinese officials for allegedly having hacked some of Pittsburgh’s foremost industrial providers including Alcoa, Westinghouse, and U.S. Steel.

Many students having participated in the trip have become advocates for the importance of this seminar, as well as their student-run organization, Top Secret Colonials. TSC secretary, Jake Pancari, stated, “The seminar is a life changing opportunity, something I never could have experienced by just going to class all the time. We witnessed history in the making while we were there, and I got to meet so many influential people working in DC. It’s easily one of the best decisions I’ve made in my time at RMU.”