Southwestern Illinois College employs five Cisco Certified Academy Instructors in the Cisco Networking Academy. To achieve the CCAI certification, instructors must successfully complete all required curriculum courses, pass the certification exam and successfully teach curriculum using online exams.

Steve Bushong

Professor Steve Bushong joined SWIC in 1997 and began the Networking Academy in the Fall 1999 semester. He brought networking experience from Illinois-American Water Company to SWIC.

In addition to successfully completing the CCNA exam, Bushong has earned his A+, Security+ and Network+ professional certifications.

Bushong, a graduate of then Belleville Area College, earned his master's degree from Fontbonne University in St. Louis and his educational specialist degree from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Charles Hannon

The faculty of SWIC's Networking Academy also includes Associate Professor Charles Hannon of Belleville. Prior to his full-time employment with SWIC, Hannon began one of the first Networking Academies in the state of Illinois as a faculty member at Collinsville Area Vocational Center.

Since Mr. Hannon joined SWIC in 2002, he has renewed his CCNA certification. He has a master's degree in education from Maryville University in St. Louis and began teaching for SWIC as an adjunct instructor in 1991.

Along with Matt Swinford, Hannon has been a technical editor for Cisco Press, including various CCNA Exploration Companion Guides and CCNA Discovery Learning Guides used in the Cisco Networking Academy.

Outside class, Mr. Hannon is enjoys riding his bicycle and is active in the parent organization of his children's school.

Matt Swinford

Matt Swinford, coordinator of SWIC's Cisco Networking Academy, joined SWIC in 2001 after coordinating the Cisco Academy for Illinois Eastern Community Colleges. He has also taught at Kaskaskia College and Vincennes University.

Swinford, who is also a professor, is CCNP certified, Microsoft Certified and an A+ Certified Professional.

Along with Charles Hannon, Swinford has been a technical editor for Cisco Press, including various CCNA Exploration Companion Guides and CCNA Discovery Learning Guides used in the Cisco Networking Academy.

Swinford earned his master's degree from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and currently lives in Collinsville.

David Clark

David Clark is a senior consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton at Scott Air Force Base. He is an Enterprise Information Management (EIM) Sharepoint System Administrator for HQ AMC/A6IB.

Clark earned his Master of Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and his Bachelor of Science from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in Management Information Systems. He also served nine years in the U.S. Air Force.

In addition to his Cisco certifications, Clark has earned his A+, Network+, Security+ and Microsoft professional certifications. He has been adjunct faculty at SWIC since 1993.

Dave Rieke

Dave Rieke has been an independent contractor since 1980. Dave has consulted and written contract programs for various manufacturing, banking and education organizations throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area.

In addition to developing, modifying and maintaining custom software, Rieke has designed and implemented various PC database and network systems—including the installation of Windows servers and workstations, Linux workstations, IIS and Apache web servers, along with router and firewall recommendations and configurations.

In addition to his CCNA, CCNP and CCSP professional certifications from Cisco, Rieke is a VMware Certified Professional. He has been adjunct faculty at SWIC since 2001.