WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ben Cardin and Barbara A. Mikulski (both D-Md.) announced today that Hagerstown Community College (HCC) received a $713,996 federal grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to enhance the college’s cybersecurity curriculum and provide its students with more opportunities for hands-on research through a partnership with the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute. The funds will also be used to recruit students to the cybersecurity program, particularly women and minorities.
“Maryland is on the front lines of defending America from cyber threats, and I am proud that Hagerstown Community College is a partner in this fight,” said Senator Cardin. “Maryland is the place to be for cybersecurity and cybersecurity training. Federal investments like this are important for educating the next generation of cyber-warriors. A diverse workforce that is proficient in STEM and cyber skills is good for our regional economy and our national security.”
“The United States is under attack,” Senator Mikulski said. “Every day, cyber thieves, cyber thugs, and cyber terrorists are hacking our systems, trying to take them down. This federal funding will enable the Hagerstown Community College to prepare its students to be our first line of defense against these attacks, and will grow our cybersecurity workforce for the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow.”
Hagerstown Community College will use the federal grant to strengthen its cybersecurity curriculum to optimize the use of technology and address emerging issues in cybersecurity. HCC will partner with the Johns Hopkins University Information Security Institute to give HCC students the opportunity to conduct research and complete hands-on training in the context of real-life problems with graduate students and faculty at the University. HCC will also engage business and industry partners to measure the outcomes of the program and develop sustainable strategies to continue to grow and diversify the cybersecurity workforce.
This grant is funded through the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education Advanced Technological Education program. The program focuses on educating technicians in high-technology fields through partnerships between academic institutions and industry to promote improvement of the education of science and engineering technicians at the undergraduate and secondary school levels. For more information, please visit http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5464&org=NSF.
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