From Data to Impact: Converse Celebrates Fifth Annual Data Science & Cybersecurity Week

Written by Michelle Bowen

Converse University’s fifth annual Data Science & Cybersecurity Week, held September 25–October 2, 2026, brought students, faculty, alumni, community partners, and industry professionals together to explore how data and cybersecurity shape the world around us and how the skills students develop in the classroom can be used to address complex challenges in their communities.

The timing of this year’s week was a perfect springboard to launch October’s Health Literacy Month and Cybersecurity Awareness Month, highlighting the power of data to inform decisions, uncover connections, and create meaningful change.

“This week serves as a vital bridge between academics and real-world application, connecting our students directly to emerging trends and professional pathways.”

Dr. Jessica Sorrells

“This week serves as a vital bridge between academics and real-world application, connecting our students directly to emerging trends and professional pathways,” says Dr. Jessica Sorrells, Dean of the School of Business and Data Science and Associate Professor of Mathematics at Converse.

Strengthening Communities with Data

Starting off strong with an immersive Datathon in partnership with Live Healthy Spartanburg, students from across campus had an opportunity to engage with real-world community data. They examined chronic health conditions in Spartanburg County and explored questions surrounding the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and chronic health outcomes, as well as potential opportunities for prevention and delaying the onset of chronic conditions.

The session offered students hands-on experiences to discover the critical role public health data plays in informing decisions, improving the quality and delivery of care, and identifying opportunities to improve health outcomes.

Rather than simply learning about data analysis, students were challenged to use data as a tool for asking meaningful questions and understanding the experiences of the people and communities behind the numbers. The Datathon welcomed students of all majors, reinforcing the interdisciplinary nature of data science and its growing relevance across fields.

“I had a wonderful experience with the datathon,” said Converse senior Ainsley Crowe ’27 (Nisbet Honors). “I think it granted me not only a great opportunity to learn more about Spartanburg but apply information directly from my major to my community.”

“It granted me not only a great opportunity to learn more about Spartanburg but apply information directly from my major to my community.”

Ainsley Crowe ’27

The following student participants were recognized for their innovative approaches to data analysis and problem-solving during the Datathon event: 

First place: Raphael Schneider ’30

Second place: Valeria Garcia-Mendoza ’28, Sofia Hernandez-Cruz ’28, Camille Sprowl ’28

Third place: Ainsley Crowe ’29 (Nisbet Honors), Valery Segura Castro ’30 (Nisbet Honors), Lilly Baker ’30 (Nisbet Honors), Jules Higginbotham ’29 (Nisbet Honors).

Building Connections

Networking opportunities throughout the week further connected students with alumni and professionals working across business, accounting, mathematics, data science and other fields. These conversations gave students a closer look at many career opportunities where analytical thinking, communication, technology, and data-informed decision-making intersect. 

“One of my biggest takeaways was that networking is about more than exchanging contact information; it is an opportunity to learn about different organizations, build meaningful connections, and discover career paths I may not have considered before.” shared senior Ashleigh Austin ’27. “The experience helped me see how building relationships and learning from others can create opportunities to make a meaningful impact in our communities.”

Crossing Disciplines: Careers in Data Science

The week’s keynote speaker brought that interdisciplinary message home. Converse alumna Dr. Grace Bagwell Adams ’07, Associate Professor of Housing Management and Policy at the University of Georgia and recipient of Converse’s 2022 Distinguished Alumna Award, returned to campus to share her journey to a career using data to better understand some of society’s most complicated challenges.

Drawing on experiences in research, public policy, and community partnerships, Adams highlighted how curiosity, creativity, communication, collaboration, and the confidence to cross disciplines can shape the questions we ask, and ultimately, how we use data to make a difference.

“Relationships are primary. Everything else is secondary. Every data point is a person.”

Dr. Grace Bagwell Adams ’07

“Relationships are primary,” Adams said. “Everything else is secondary. Every data point is a person.”

Her story reminded students that data-centered research can drive meaningful change in communities by informing decisions, addressing real-world challenges, and improving people’s lives. It also highlighted how developing data-driven research skills can open doors to diverse career pathways, equipping students to turn insights into impact across a wide range of fields.

Celebrating Five Years & Expanding our Impact

“What began as a targeted event for specialized majors has grown into a campus-wide platform highlighting how data drives every modern industry,” says Sorrells. “Reaching our fifth year is a major milestone, and having industry partners step up as inaugural sponsors elevates our Data Science and Cybersecurity Week to a whole new level.”

That bridge was strengthened through the support of inaugural sponsors SJWD Water District, PwC, and Live Healthy Spartanburg, whose partnership helped expand the week’s reach and connect Converse students with challenges and opportunities beyond the classroom.

“Corporate sponsorships are critical to creating meaningful experiential learning opportunities that bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and real-world application,” says Philanthropy Officer & Corporate Giving Specialist Kim Jolley. “Through initiatives like Data and Cybersecurity Week, our students engage with industry professionals, explore emerging technologies, and develop the practical skills needed to succeed in today’s workforce. The investment of our sponsors not only enriches the student experience but also helps prepare the next generation of talent to meet tomorrow’s challenges.”

Five years in, Converse’s Data Science & Cybersecurity Week has grown from a small departmental event into a campus-wide celebration of the many ways data and cybersecurity influence modern life and work. For Converse students, the week offered something equally important: the opportunity to see themselves not simply as consumers of data and technology, but as the curious, creative, ethical problem-solvers who will shape what comes next.