St. Petersburg College was recognized this month by The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
- SPC named Center of Excellence in cybersecurity education
- Designated through academic year 2024
- Allows school to further expand program
- More Pinellas County stories
The school was named a National Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense Education. The recognition comes as October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
Dr. James Stewart, Dean of the College of Computers and Information Technology at SPC, says the designation is an honor and will help the school expand its cybersecurity program.
“We want to make sure that we’re number one, our students are number one, and that’s our goal,” said Stewart.
The students at SPC enrolled in the cybersecurity program to get hands-on experience, including learning how to block hackers.
“It’s really interesting to see how they kind of circumvent the common protections we have in place,” said student Lionel Plaisance. “When you’re working in cybersecurity, you have to have a really good idea not just about how one thing works but about how all the pieces come together."
The dean says the designation will be on students’ diplomas. He also says this recognition will help them expand the program, including adding new classes focused on threat analysis.