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Steve Bushong, Associate Professor of Network Design and Administration at Southwestern Illinois College, recently received the Cisco Networking Academy Leadership Award. Bushong was honored at the 2009 Illinois Cisco Networking Academy Retreat in Normal, Illinois for ten years of dedicated service to the Cisco Networking Academy.
The criteria for the award includes participation with the Cisco Network Academy at the state level, leadership in teaching advanced technologies, and support of statewide efforts to promote and improve the Cisco Network Academy.
“Without the leadership of Steve Bushong, students in the district would not have the opportunities they currently enjoy” said John Sands, Director of the Illinois Cisco Authorized Training Center. “In addition, his feedback to the Networking Academy has enabled us to improve our program offerings.”
Bushong started the Academy at Southwestern in 1999 and served as program coordinator for four years. He teaches a variety of Cisco and Networking classes, including courses that prepare for the Cisco CCNA, CCNP, CCSP and CCDA professional certifications. Bushong has earned many networking certifications and possesses a current Cisco certification.
Throughout his career, Bushong has collaborated with Cisco on writing and reviewing curriculum and has been a beta tester for CCNA and CCNP professional exams. He has presented sessions on Cisco technologies at the national Cisco Networkers Conference and at the annual Illinois Cisco Retreat. In addition, he recorded several instructional videos for the Cisco Learning Institute.
Bushong also provides leadership beyond his school responsibilities. He coaches for the Waterloo Sports Association, volunteers for Camp Ondessonk and for both the Boy Scouts and Girls Scouts. He has also taught PSR classes at Sts. Peter & Paul Church in Waterloo.
The Cisco Networking Academy at Southwestern Illinois College has also been recognized with a national Award for Excellence in the category of Relevance. This award highlights academies and instructors who have helped their students to apply the skills and competencies they have learned in the academy program through participation in career development initiatives such as internships, job shadowing programs, and skills competitions. 
LEADERSHIP HONOR– Network Design and Administration Professor Steve Bushong recently was honored with a Cisco Networking Academy Leadership Award. Pictured, from left, are Red Bud Campus Provost Mike Reed, Network Design and Administration Associate Professor Matt Swinford, Bushong, College President Georgia Costello, Ph.D., Business Division Dean Janet Fontenot and Vice President for Instruction Clay Baitman.