Dr. David Ward was a prominent figure and professor at Capitol Technology University whose legacy continues to impact the mission and success of our institution as it marches towards its 100th anniversary in 2027. His groundbreaking vision for our cybersecurity programs, and keen eye for the field of cyber as a whole, made him an innovative leader and program founder of our undergraduate and graduate cybersecurity degrees, which continue to be our most pursued degrees to this day.
Through a special fundraising event and the generous donations of alumni and sponsors alike, a memorial bench in Dr. Ward’s honor was made possible. President Bradford L. Sims expressed pride in this momentous occasion, stating "Dr. David Ward's visionary leadership and dedication to cybersecurity education have left an indelible mark on Capitol Technology University, inspiring generations of students and shaping the future of cyber defense."
The memorial bench was officially installed in June 2024 and can be visited outside the front entrance of McGowan Hall, where Dr. Ward himself once said, “when you walk into this building, you’ll see evidence of the space program, the cyber lab, and robotics. At Capitol, we have advanced engineering, advanced computer science, advanced cybersecurity, advanced radio frequency analysis – we’re already there. We already have this symbiotic relationship happening right in front of us.” Dr. Ward was a proud member of our university and a strong advocate for technology education, seeing it as a means to success for our students as they navigate the evolving tech landscape of the professional world.
Dr. Ward served his country with the U.S. Marine Corps retiring as a lieutenant colonel (LtCol) in 2001, having served in combat operations such as Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Dr. Ward joined Capitol College in 1998 prior to retiring. His goal was to innovate our higher education programs by offering unique resources, such as synchronous online delivery and virtual labs. His forward-thinking made Capitol’s programs stand out from all known competitors as online courses were rare at that time.
Dr. Ward also professionally served his country as a senior lawyer at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). He represented the United States at the World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRC) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) meetings. He was the FCC’s eminent expert in the application of the US Patriot Act, The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) Court, and on privacy and digital wire-tap issues. Dr. Ward humbly began his career as a telephone lineman for New York and New England Telephone (NYNEX) and completed Law School at night to become a telecommunications lawyer.
In 2001, Dr. Ward launched our Master of Science in Network Security program, another milestone for cyber education as “the subject was generally available at colleges and universities only as an elective, often as part of a computer science program,” and not as an independent degree. Dr. Ward’s vision and hard work led to the nation’s first M.S. in Cybersecurity delivered synchronously online. He taught the cyber law course for this program as well.
In 2003, Dr. Ward pursued a designation for our university from the NSA’s National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) for our outstanding cyber offerings, while also working to develop our B.S. in Information Assurance (now Cybersecurity), which would later be established in 2004. Dr. Ward’s efforts paid off when Capitol’s cyber programs were officially recognized by the NCAE-CD (Cyber Defense) and remain currently on this esteemed list. This designation is awarded to regionally accredited academic institutions offering cybersecurity degrees and/or certificates at the associate, bachelor’s and graduate levels. Dr. William Butler, our Vice President of Cyber Science Partnerships and Outreach and long-time friend of Dr. Ward, is currently serving as Chair of the NCAE Northeast Regional Hub. “I can honestly say that without question David Ward is the sole reason I came to Capitol and continue his legacy of excellence and service to others,” Dr. Butler expressed. “His drive to serve and respect others, to always be excellent and be first were instilled in me.”
In 2010, Dr. Ward broke further ground when he researched and designed the nation’s first Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) in Information Assurance (now Cybersecurity). To date, this popular doctoral degree has seen 207 Capitol graduates – making it one of our most successful programs.
Capitol now offers over 20 different degrees in cyber and information security, from Aviation Cybersecurity to Cyber Product Development to Offensive Cyber Engineering and beyond. Our university has received numerous awards over the years, crediting our excellent online course offerings and cyber degree programs. We have ranked #1 for Best Online Cybersecurity Ph.D. by Cybersecurity.org, and are listed by Forbes as one of the top 8% of best colleges in America. We also won America’s Best Cybersecurity Program in 2020 by SC Media and received runner up in 2021, to name just a few. The lasting impact of Dr. Ward on the success of our university and our students is tremendous and he will be forever remembered as a leader in cyber education.
“Everyone that has earned a degree in cybersecurity in these last 20 years owes it to the vision and energy of LtCol David Ward, USMC (Ret.),” states Dr. Butler. “The legacy left behind by Dr. David O. Ward deserves to be recognized. You simply cannot discuss cyber at Capitol without remembering David Ward.”
Dr. Ward was honored posthumously as the first inductee into the newly charted Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE) Honor Society for the Computing Sciences. This chapter of UPE will soon bear his name officially this year. He is survived by his wife Mary, two daughters, Kristen and Danielle and several grandchildren.
We invite our Capitol community to visit the Dr. David Ward Memorial Bench during one of our on-campus events to honor his legacy.