The event took place both in-person and via Zoom. Invitations were sent to all superintendents in Missouri and many high school principals to discuss the current pathways of study in cybersecurity. There were 85 total attendees this year.  

“The main benefit will be for our Missouri students,” said Dr. Mario Garcia, director of the Institute for Cybersecurity at Southeast. “There is a tremendous market for well-trained experts in cybersecurity. Starting the learning in middle school or high school will increase the number of students interested in cybersecurity, so this is an important step to help our state and our nation.”

The National Security Agency (NSA) collaborates with various higher education institutions to develop a cybersecurity curriculum that includes courses and teaching materials. This curriculum provides teachers with resources developed by top cybersecurity experts to adapt into the classroom and expand their cybersecurity teaching at the K12 level. 

“One of the most important defense strategies is education,” said Garcia. “With proper training, many of the hacker attacks like social engineering, phishing, and ransomware could be prevented. It is very important to start training in cybersecurity early.”

Garcia says he plans for Southeast to host additional conferences and trainings for the region.

 “With a statewide mission in cybersecurity, it’s natural for Southeast to share information about this constantly changing field,” Garcia said. “Southeast is recognized by the NSA as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity and our programs are ABET accredited.”

 For more information on the program visit the Southeast cybersecurity page.