Connectivity on the prime of the world: Preserving the previous, partnering for the longer term

Scott McGregor shares his experiences in forging a brand new partnership with Iḷisaġvik Faculty in Utqiaġvik, Alaska – a unprecedented group that’s breaking down boundaries to create new entry to schooling, know-how, and alternative.

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Standing close to the highest of the world, I’ve by no means felt nearer to Cisco’s function.

The bottom feels totally different right here in Utqiaġvik, Alaska – previously often called Barrow. Positioned north of the Arctic Circle, Utqiaġvik is the northernmost city in the USA.

From the place I stand on the shore of a sea that’s frozen for a lot of the yr, I’m getting a way of the exceptional historical past of a land that has been house to the Iñupiaq individuals for hundreds of years and the challenges they’ve overcome to maintain their group for millennia.

Right this moment, the residents of Utqiaġvik face a rising problem– integrating the tradition and values of the previous with the technological advances and data wanted to protect their tradition and thrive in a altering, international economic system.

That is what powering an inclusive future for all appears like.

Robust group – important challenges

I’ve come to Utqiaġvik with a small group representing Cisco’s Social Justice Motion Workplace and our Native American Community Worker Useful resource Group.

We’re right here to discover methods we will companion to interrupt down boundaries and create entry to schooling, know-how, and alternative.

The challenges are important right here.

Think about dwelling in a spot so distant it could possibly solely be accessed by airplane, the place the summer season solar doesn’t dip beneath the horizon for 82 straight days, and after it dips beneath the horizon for the final time every November, it doesn’t seem once more till January.

Think about dwelling in a spot the place dependable entry to trendy conveniences like recent produce and heating gas are a problem. And restricted entry to broadband makes it tough to entry vital companies like schooling and healthcare in addition to keep a dependable connection to the remainder of the world.

The distant location and the cruel circumstances aren’t the one boundaries. Utqiaġvik is on the entrance traces of local weather change. The rising sea is claiming land at an alarming tempo. Boundaries now block elements of a highway that when encircled the city.

If not now – when?

Strolling among the many individuals, it’s clear to me that regardless of the cruel circumstances the Iñupiaq are already thriving. Communities all over the world have one thing to be taught from the vibrance of this tradition.

We’re not right here for a reduction effort. We’re not right here to jot down a test. We’re right here to do what Cisco does finest – join the unconnected – and reimagine what’s potential by means of these connections.

To achieve true proximity and perceive the distinctive mixture of challenges going through this group – discovering new methods to bridge distance and distinction to create an inclusive future.

This proximity – and this partnership – is central to how Cisco fulfills its Function to energy an inclusive future for all. And why we created the Social Justice Actions to discover methods of making true impression in underserved communities.

The trail ahead – breaking down boundaries to schooling

On the coronary heart of this distant group is Iḷisaġvik Faculty, one in every of solely 35 accredited tribal faculties in the USA and the one tribal school positioned in Alaska. The president of the faculty, Justina Wilhelm, grew up locally and talks about how the varsity is “unapologetically Inupiaq” that means the Inupiaq lifestyle, primarily based on a wealthy basis of a subsistence tradition with the land and sea, guided by Inupiaq values is woven into their curriculum and day by day interactions.

Iḷisaġvik Faculty has a contemporary IT infrastructure. However like many underserved academic establishments within the United Sates, there have been some gaps, primarily across the school’s cybersecurity readiness.

Resolving these gaps is vital. In 2023, the Federal authorities created requirements requiring all colleges receiving federal funding be Nationwide Institute of Requirements Expertise (NIST) cybersecurity compliant. For colleges like Iḷisaġvik Faculty, funding these upgrades presents a serious problem and will in the end decide if they might proceed to function.

By way of Cisco’s dedication to social justice, which ensures minority serving establishments throughout the nation stay cybersecurity compliant, Cisco and its ecosystem of companions have engaged Iḷisaġvik Faculty and carried out a NIST evaluation to establish know-how gaps after which donated the know-how and companies required to carry them into cybersecurity compliance. Iḷisaġvik Faculty is the second tribal school to profit from this initiative which positions them to serve their area people in addition to college students who take their programs globally, nicely into the longer term.

The very best-in-class cybersecurity options applied at Iḷisaġvik featured the Cisco Meraki MX – a multifunctional all-in-one gadget that delivers ease of deployment, distant administration, and state-of-the artwork options. This distinctive mixture of advantages is important to empowering the brand new future the faculty envisions for college students, college, and the broader group.

Bringing the alternatives right here

The partnership between Iḷisaġvik Faculty and Cisco is even deeper than cybersecurity compliance and know-how modernization. Along with supporting the IT infrastructure and connectivity, we might be providing our Cisco Networking Academy coursework, which is able to enable learners to acquire certifications in cybersecurity and networking that may make them extra aggressive for jobs, together with distant jobs.

This implies residents will have the ability to keep of their group and earn a aggressive wage within the cybersecurity and networking fields.

This can be a vital facet of the trail ahead the group is creating. Alternatives to remain in Utqiaġvik and to proceed to be “unapologetically Iñupiaq” whereas tapping right into a vibrant digital job market made potential by means of connectivity.

Classes discovered from the highest of the world

After I launched into this journey, I wasn’t anticipating it to be one of the profound experiences of my profession.

Whereas I used to be in one of the distant locations on earth, I discovered a welcoming group that jogged my memory how necessary it’s to get proximate to a group to completely perceive its wants earlier than offering options.

I found a brand new sense of what’s potential by strolling alongside individuals with a historical past of dwelling on the prime of world for hundreds of years.

I got here away impressed and energized, understanding that Cisco’s purpose-driven work has by no means been extra necessary – or extra related to what issues most in communities all over the world.

As Cisco begins the final yr of our five-year exploration in driving Social Justice, our work – and the impression we’re creating with communities – will proceed to develop due to what we’ve discovered right here.

Preserving the previous – partnering for the longer term. Cisco’s journey continues.

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