The grant, which totals $533,404, will be used to enhance cybersecurity training and education.
Marion Technical College has received a grant totaling $533,404 from the National Science Foundation in an effort to help train educators and the community about effective cybersecurity. The funding will be used to update curriculum and upgrade technology, and to put on workshops and bootcamps to train students, educators, government workers, and community members in cybersecurity.
According to an article on Marion Technical College’s website, Dr. Ryan McCall, who is the president of the school, expressed his enthusiasm for the projects the grant will make possible, including an initiative to increase the diversity within its cybersecurity programs. McCall said, "Cyberattacks threaten all of us – with attacks on health care, schools, utilities, financial institutions and businesses. This initiative represents a significant step forward in addressing the critical need for cybersecurity expertise in our community and beyond. By expanding our educational offerings and reaching out to underrepresented groups, we aim to cultivate a diverse and skilled cybersecurity workforce capable of meeting these challenges."
The overall goal of the grant funding is to train a capable cybersecurity workforce. The school will be working to update its curriculum to better meet the NSA Center of Excellence in Cybersecurity standards.
Mike White, who is the Associate Dean of Technical Programs, was quoted as saying, “The National Science Foundation grant is a game changer for our cybersecurity program. We will be providing training on cutting-edge technology to our students, community, and local government agencies. Cybersecurity is a constant arms race between bad actors and the good guys; keeping local agencies, teachers, and the community up-to-date with recent trends is essential for the safety of everyone.”
Professor Christy Culver is an Assistant Program Administrator for Business and Information Technologies at Marion Technical College, as well as one of the grant’s authors. Culver is looking forward to the cascading benefits of increased cybersecurity training, including boot camps and workshops. She said, “The planned professional development opportunities for high school instructors, local government, and public utility employees will raise the overall standard of cybersecurity education in the region, creating a ripple effect of improved cybersecurity practices.”
In addition to workshops, Marion Technical College will be adding to its roster of cybersecurity training courses and offering three new certificates and programs. It will also be upgrading the technology within its mobile lab, which travels throughout the region to attend workshops and cybersecurity training events.
To bolster the cybersecurity workforce and to better provide education to a diverse range of students, Marion Technical College plans to expand outreach for program enrollment to include traditionally underrepresented individuals in the field of cybersecurity, including women, rural residents, and those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
For more information about Marion Technical College, visit the school’s website.