Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) is on a mission to provide a sense of belonging for students enrolled in Illinois State University’s cybersecurity program. 

“I wanted to make a community for those who wanted it or needed it,” said junior cybersecurity major Jasmine Dhamers. She started the chapter at Illinois State this semester and is serving as the new registered student organization’s president. 

WiCyS aims to create a place for women and allies to build technical skills, expand their network, and overcome imposter syndrome, according to Dhamers. She noted that female students make up about 10% of enrollment in Illinois State’s cybersecurity program. Nationally, a 2024 LinkedIn report found that women make up about 18% of the cybersecurity industry. 

“With Women in CyberSecurity, we’re trying to make what seems like complex tasks seem not as complex so that people want to stick with it,” Dhamers said. “They can see it from a different perspective—a fun and engaging way to interact with cybersecurity.” 

Dr. Yousra Javed is an associate professor at Illinois State who teaches cybersecurity and is the WiCyS advisor. She motivated Dhamers to start the chapter and guided her throughout the launch process.  

“We started the WiCyS student chapter and RSO with the goal of recruiting and retaining underrepresented students in our cybersecurity major. My role as the advisor is to provide support, mentorship, and resources, as well as technical expertise to female students who are either currently in cybersecurity or are interested in cybersecurity,” Javed said. 

The lack of female representation in the cybersecurity field can be attributed to numerous factors including a lack of support and resources, according to Javed. 

“Low exposure from the beginning doesn’t help with female enrollment. It also has to do with stereotypes that this field is more male-oriented,” Javed said. “Maybe female students feel that they don’t belong here, but also, maybe fewer female role models play a part too.” 

However, gaps create opportunities for solutions. Dhamers discovered that when something is missing, it can be created. 

“Anybody that wants a community that isn’t already at Illinois State—you can do it. There are a lot of people who want to help you,” Dhamers said. “We started planning for this club back in October (2024), and by January (2025), we already had a plan for our whole semester. So, if there’s something that’s not on campus that you want on campus, reach out to your professors, and you can definitely make it happen.” 

WiCyS plans to collaborate with other university chapters and RSOs while hosting cybersecurity competitions to expand their network and develop important skills for career success. 

“I want to be able to set up my club and everyone in it with connections that they’ll hopefully have for life. If they need anything, they can reach out,” Dhamers said. 

In early March, WiCyS hosted a panel of women who are security professionals with State Farm. They shared advice and answered questions from attendees. Looking ahead, WiCyS plans to organize site visits to various local businesses and their cybersecurity departments, as well as host additional guest speaker events. Additionally, they will participate in a capture the flag competition in April. 

“I want to continue to promote the cybersecurity program, especially to get more females in there. Hopefully, we’ll grow the numbers, even if it’s just by 1%,” Dhamers said. 

WiCyS meetings take place every other Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Julian Hall, room number 33. Contact jrdhame@IllinoisState.edu or yjaved@IllinoisState.edu with any questions. 

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