KLA Laboratories awards scholarships to 2 HFC students

Matthew J. O’Bryan, president/CEO of KLA Laboratories, Inc. in Dearborn, presented two HFC Cisco Networking students with two $250 scholarships from the KLA Endowment Scholarship Fund April 16.

O’Bryan, a 1988 HFC alumnus, presented the two scholarships to Zainab Mroue, of Dearborn, and Kyle Harper, of Brownstown Township.

Also present was Dr. Michael Nealon, HFC Vice President of Academic Affairs; A. Reginald Best, HFC Vice President of Institutional Advancement; HFC Cisco lead instructor Todd Browning; and Kelly Schoen, KLA Marketing Coordinator.

KLA Scholarship winners Zainab Mroue and Kyle Harper

Mroue is a senior at Fordson High School in Dearborn who is dually enrolled at HFC. She will graduate this June from Fordson and with her Computer Networking Academy – CCNA Certificate of Achievement from HFC in May. This fall, she will continue her education at HFC.

“I’m really excited about it. It’s the first scholarship I’ve ever received,” said Mroue. “I came into this program with little knowledge of information technology (IT) in general. Now I feel prepared to start in the real world as a network administrator. Of course, I still have a lot more to learn.”

An alumnus of Woodhaven High School and a 6-year veteran of the Michigan National Guard, Harper will graduate with his Computer Networking Academy – CCNA Certificate of Achievement from HFC in May. Harper plans to continue taking classes in the Cisco program.

“This career path is expanding and offers plenty of opportunity,” said Harper.

This scholarship will provide financial support for students currently enrolled in HFC’s Computer Networking Technology (CNT) program. The scholarship is inclusive of tuition, books, and lab fees for any courses at HFC in this area of study. The scholarship criteria is as follows:
• The student must be pursuing a Certificate of Achievement of the Computer Networking Academy (CCNA) or an associate degree in Applied Science in Computer Information Systems (CIS).
• The student must submit a one-page essay describing their career goals.
• The student must have a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0, successfully completed CNT 110, CNT 120, and must be enrolled in CNT 210.

Cisco Academy at HFC leads to good jobs

In partnership with California-based Cisco Systems, HFC is designated as a Cisco Networking Academy and offers preparation programs for CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Networking Technician), CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), CCNA-Security and CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional). Cisco certifications are consistently rated among the most highly valued certifications within the IT industry by both employers and IT professionals.

Cisco training can lead to well-paying positions, including Network Support Specialists, Network Control Technicians, Hardware/Telecom Field Support Technicians, LAN/WAN Technicians, Network Systems Technicians, et al. Considerable demand for these positions has been predicted by the Information Technology Association of America, the American Electronics Association, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to Browning, students who complete the program begin entry-level jobs at a salary around $40,000 per year.

KLA employs 40-plus HFC alumni

More than 40 alumni are employed at KLA, a family-owned integrator of communications/information technology, stated O’Bryan. KLA has partnerships with Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Comerica Park, Ford Field, Little Caesars Arena, Nationwide Arena, Michigan State University, The University of Michigan, Ohio State University, JP Morgan Chase, and others.

KLA has provided audio systems for every president from John F. Kennedy to Donald Trump when in Detroit, as well as for Pope John Paul II during his historic 1987 visit to Detroit. KLA’s equipment has been used at the Super Bowl in 1982 and 2006, as well as the World Series in 1968, 1984, 2006, and 2012. It has also been used in several movies filmed in Michigan, including 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Giving back to HFC

“It’s an honor to present these HFC students with the KLA Laboratories, Inc. Technology Scholarship. I’m grateful to be able to support the growth of students pursuing an education in the information technology field. As an alumnus, I am proud to give back to this College,” said O’Bryan.

Browning thanked O’Bryan for his generosity and support.

“Mr. O’Bryan has been very supportive of HFC and the students in this program. I cannot thank him enough for all of his generous contributions,” said Browning.

For questions or further information about HFC’s Cisco Networking Academy Program, contact Browning at 313-845-6365 or browning@hfcc.edu.