“I came to WCCC after contacting a quite a few dentists in the area and they all spoke highly of the dental hygiene program. They said they have WCCC graduates working in their offices.”

- April
Dental Hygiene Major


Open House

 

To view .pdf forms click image for free download.
Homeland Security   




WCCC's Homeland Security Program 

On The Boston Terrorist Attacks

Dear Present and Future Homeland Security Students:

As Boston and the nation sorts through the devastating events, our thoughts and prayers go out to the 170 or so injured and their families and friends. Also our thoughts go out to the families of those who died and to those brave first responders who - despite it all - charged in to care for the wounded and entered in firefights with terrorists, likely saving many lives. 

Our nation has been ever-vigilant since 9/11/01 intercepting over 50 terrorist plots yet incurring death and injuries along the way in places like Fort Hood, Virginia Tech, etc. This incident reminds us all that there is still a threat to the our homeland.

If any of you were wondering about a career in homeland security, the Boston Bombings and the search for the terrorists are likely to have firmed your resolve to complete your Homeland Security studies and to move into a rewarding career dedicated to keeping our great nation safe.

A Message from Dean Douglas Jensen

Hello and welcome to the WCCC Homeland Security website. I encourage you to take a look around this site and invite you to come back from time to time as the site grows. This is a very exciting time for WCCC and its homeland security program. The program was recognized in 2010 at the National UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative) Conference for its innovative approach. WCCC has been named to the most affordable community colleges in Pennsylvania and was recently recognized for attaining leader status in the nationwide Achieving the Dream Initiative. Numerous of our original Homeland Security students have already graduated with their Homeland Security Associates Degree. Some have gone into jobs with the TSA, Department of Homeland Security, the US AQrmy Corps of Engineers and some have continued on to further their higher education at four-year colleges and universities. Contact Cliff or Bob if you have any questions about the program. I hope to see you around campus soon.

The WCCC Homeland Security Program:  

WCCC offers a unique program that introduces the student to a variety of aspects in the vast US homeland security career field. Students will receive a grounding in the four major areas of public safety including emergency medicine, fire fighting, emergency management and law enforcement. You will learn about the terrorist threat at home and abroad including weapons of mass destruction. You will garner knowledge and develop abilities to help protect our communities, region, and the nation by learning about security operations, physical protection systems and vulnerability and threat assessment. You will also learn how to garner and manage grants and how to develop and implement continuity of operations planning.

The WCCC Homeland Security Program consists of an 18-hour undergraduate certificate as well as a 63-hour Associates in Applied Science (AAS).  The certificate is excellent for the currently serving public safety officer to better understand the nation's homeland security challenges and learn  how to better prepare for the issues at hand.  The AAS will help prepare you for entry level work or for your transition into a related bachelor's degree program in the Southwest Pennsylvania or elsewhere in the country. Courses will be offered in traditional classroom settings as well as the vast majority of the coursework is also available through online study.

Options:

A 63 credit hour Homeland Security Associates in Applied Science Degree
- or - 
An 18 credit hour Homeland Security Undergraduate Certificate

- Click the title for details>> Homeland Security AAS and Certificate at WCCC Excerpt from Catalogue

To view the entire WCCC 2012-2013 Catalog click the title below: >>http://wccc.edu/Forms/catalog.pdf<<

WCCC Online - WCCC is planning to make the 18  hour Homeland Security Certificate available online beginning in the Fall Semester of 2013.  Courses needed to complete the HS Certificate include HSM 101, 103, 105, 107, CRJ 225 and CIS 168.

To register for classes , call WCCC Registration at 1-800-262-2103, extension 4204.

Employment Opportunities in Homeland Security

 
This article indicates that homeland security jobs will be booming for those with the right degrees.  Click the title for details>>: HS Degrees and the DHS hiring boom 

Here is a link to the Department of Homeland Security's Career Page to give you some understanding of the scope and breadth of positions within in the DHS. 
Click the title for details >> DHS Careers <<

 

There are many other career opportunities within the private sector as well as local, county, regional, tribal and state governments across the country. 

Other employment information will be added to this section over time.

If you have any career questions contact Cliff or Bob whose email addresses are provided below in the Instructor's Section.
 Current Events

- NEW - Immaculata University representatives will be on the WCCC Youngwood Campus April 22 and 23rd to hold open forums regarding plans to Offer the Bachelors in Emergency Planning and Management at WCCC.  See below for information about the degree and click >>here<< for details about next week's information sessions.

- WCCC and Immaculata University Pen Articulation Agreement

WCCC and Immaculata University(IU) have entered into an articulation agreement for WCCC HSM graduates to transfer to IU's Bachelor of Science in Emergency Planning and Management. WCCC graduates may be eligible to transfer up to 72 credits to IU provided that the student's grade in each WCCC class is a "C" or better. IU plans to offer their EPM classes here at WCCC’s Youngwood Campus in the Fall of 2013. IU is offering WCCC HSM graduates a 15% tuition discount. IU may begin working on additional agreements for the CRJ and Fire Programs as well.To view the IU EPM page go to: http://www.immaculata.edu/academics/emergency-planning-management

To learn more about your possible transfer to IU's Emergency Planning and Management degree completion program contact:

Dr. Dean Julian, Director of Online Programs, College of Lifelong Learning

djulian@immaculata.edu
610-647-4400, extension 3243

Immaculata University is a private, Catholic, comprehensive, coeducational institution of higher education approved by Middle States accreditation, and is located on the Main Line about 20 miles west of Philadelphia.

- WCCC's Homeland Security Program Wins Award from UASI Group

Although only a year old at the time, the WCCC Homeland Security program has achieved national recognition. In June 2010, the National Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security presented its first-ever Higher Education Program Award to WCCC’s Homeland Security program. The award recognizes excellence in the development of training programs for the nation’s first responders and first receivers. 

 

 

Cliff Shrum (center) receiving the UASI Award in
New Orleans, LA

 About your instructors: 

1. Cliff Shrum - email: shrumc@wccc.edu  Cliff currently teaches several homeland security courses in WCCC’s new Homeland Security Associate in Applied Science degree program. He is a retired US Army Special Forces Command Sergeant Major.

Prior to coming to WCCC, Mr. Shrum served as the program/project manager for the Pennsylvania Region 13 Task Force for more than 5 years. He was responsible for the region’s involvement in security and logistics for the G20 event in Pittsburgh. He authored numerous documents to include vulnerability assessments, emergency operations plans, and continuity of operations plans. In addition, Mr. Shrum assisted in the development and execution of the largest full-scale exercise to date in Pennsylvania (Steel Hammer). He has served on several Department of Homeland Security Peer Review committees and is recognized as an expert in homeland security throughout many of the Urban Areas Security Initiatives (UASI) all over the country.

He was one of the lead authors of the Homeland Security Training Consortium which is comprised of 13 counties and the city of Pittsburgh in southwest Pennsylvania. He was the driving force for WCCC to win the first UASI Outstanding Excellence Award for Higher Education and for being recognized for the Bellwether Award. He holds numerous certifications and has received several awards during his tenure with Region 13.

2. Bob Martin - email: martinro@wccc.edu  Bob has over 28 years of public safety management experience including three years as a US Army Military Policeman. His duties have included performing, supervising and managing law enforcement, EMS, wildland and structural firefighting, search and rescue and has served as incident commander in for a wide variety of all risk incidents. He was the first ever national security and intelligence manager for the National Park Service where he provided oversight and guidance for the security of 9 National Icons, numerous critical infrastructure sites, nearly 400 national park units, 89 million acres of parkland, over 15,000 employees and over 300 million visitors to those sites annually. Some National Icons that Bob helped protect included the Statue of Liberty, USS Constitution and Boston Historical Sites, Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, the St Louis Arch and Mount Rushmore. 

Bob also serves as the WCCC Law Enforcement and Homeland Security Programs Coordinator, where he coordinates the year-round municipal police academies as well as all law enforcement, lethal weapons, tactical, and professional security officer specialty training. He was the lead author of the Region 13 Homeland Security Higher Education Training Consortium which is comprised of 4 community colleges, Pitt and Penn State. Bob has an AAS from Central Texas College in Law Enforcement, a BS from Columbia Southern University in Criminal Justice Administration, and a Master's in Homeland Security from the American Military University.  His thesis was on the threats posed to the US by Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCO's).