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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Liz Cooper
781-239-2636
ecooper@massbay.edu

������Ƶ Community College computer information systems and networking student, Bárbara Marques ������Ƶ Community College computer information systems and networking student, Bárbara Marques, originally from São Paulo, Brazil, and currently a resident of Danvers, MA, participates in a recent training exercise in the ������Ƶ cyber range on the Wellesley Hills campus, Wellesley Hills, MA, October 2023 (Photo/������Ƶ Community College).

WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. (November 14, 2023) – The ������Ƶ Community College Center for Cybersecurity Education was recently awarded $804,162 by the Healey-Driscoll Administration as part of a $1.14 million statewide commitment to increase cyber training. The grants are part of the managed by the , which supports programs that are aimed at building a new, diverse generation of cybersecurity professionals to grow the state’s workforce through education, training, and workforce development. The announcement was made by Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll at the third on October 5, 2023, which was organized by MassCyberCenter and served as a kick-off to Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

The grant funding will assist ������Ƶ students studying cybersecurity to train in a state-of-the-art, secure cyber range to gain experience in this high-demand industry. A cyber range is a virtual environment, enabling users to hone their skills detecting, intercepting, and defending against simulated cyber-crimes. The range will bolster cyber resiliency at the local level by including SOCs. An SOC is the infrastructure that enables municipality and small business IT teams to actively monitor cyber threats and IT security vulnerabilities.

The grant program has funded a network of four institutions statewide that are supported by the work of CyberTrust Massachusetts, a non-profit that aims to grow the cyber talent pipeline by increasing career pathways for underrepresented groups and supporting security operations at the new higher education centers. The ������Ƶ cyber range will also be available to program partners including Bunker Hill Community College, Framingham State University, Framingham High School, Keefe Regional Technical School, Roxbury Community College, and Waltham High School.

“������Ƶ Community College is extremely proud to be the recipient of this grant from MassCyberCenter to fund a cyber range,” said ������Ƶ President David Podell. “The cyber range will build on ������Ƶ’s longstanding and outstanding programs in Cybersecurity. We look forward to engaging our partners in higher education, K-12, municipalities and school districts, and businesses in cybersecurity training at an even higher level with a goal of becoming the premier training ground for cybersecurity professionals in MetroWest and Greater Boston.”

The ������Ƶ cyber range features cutting-edge infrastructure, providing students with access to similar facilities found in the private sector, allowing for real-world training opportunities, and enabling students to advance into roles as SOC staff. Students will work with Cybersecurity program faculty, staff, and technical experts using 21st century cyber monitoring software to offer affordable cyber monitoring to municipalities, non-profits, and small businesses that might not be able to purchase ongoing threat detection services.

“Cybersecurity impacts all of us, so it’s important to have an educated workforce that is ready to protect us on multiple layers,” said ������Ƶ computer science professor and director of the ������Ƶ Center for Cybersecurity Education, Shamsi Moussavi. “This commitment to our cyber range and training will have a direct impact on our students and their future career success. This investment will also enable ������Ƶ to establish essential partners in our region to fortify the overall cybersecurity necessary to compete in the modern economy.”

With the ever-increasing cybersecurity threats and risks to organizations’ information and data, the need for trained workers who can identify, prevent, mitigate, and address the threats to IT networks is at an all-time high. ������Ƶ has responded to the growing regional and national need for well-trained cybersecurity professionals by creating a Center for Cybersecurity Education. The Center is built around ������Ƶ’s cybersecurity programs (certificates and associate degree programs), which aligns with the national frameworks and educational guidelines and has been highlighted by The White House. Currently, ������Ƶ is the only associate degree in cybersecurity program in Massachusetts.

“Working on Cybersecurity projects has not only allowed me to test my limits but also to discover and develop my abilities,” said ������Ƶ Cybersecurity and Information Systems and Technology student Dalia Diaz Chongo of Newton, MA. “It has compelled me to push myself further and embrace challenges that I may not have encountered otherwise.”

������Ƶ Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston, offering a robust portfolio of courses and more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley Hills, and online. ������Ƶ students receive an unmatched educational value by earning stackable credits that transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, and workforce-ready skills necessary to advance careers in high-demand fields such as health and life sciences, automotive technology, engineering, business, cybersecurity, and the humanities. ������Ƶ’s Associate Degree in Nursing (RN) and Practical Nursing (LPN) programs were both ranked as the #1 Nursing Program in Massachusetts in 2020-2021 by national nursing advocacy organizations RegisteredNursing.org, and PracticalNursing.org. Since its founding in 1961, ������Ƶ has been accredited by several governing bodies and remains firmly committed to its mission of meeting the needs of the diverse local communities it serves. We value the intrinsic worth of all individuals, collectively in pursuit of inclusiveness and prioritize our work towards achieving equity within our community and beyond.