GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) – Friday, the National Security Agency named Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College of Harrison County a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense.
The partnership makes them the only community college in Mississippi and one of two higher education institutions with that designation.
This is a huge win for the school as this recognition allows for more grants, scholarships and paid internships for students. According to instructor Dr. Jaime Gruich, this will provide students with more opportunities when they enter the workforce.
“It allows the students to have more opportunities with our industry partners being recognized with aciculate from the National Security Agency,” Gruich said.
Cybersecurity is in high demand as most companies need it to protect themselves from hackers. According to MGCCC Dean of Teaching & Learning Emma Miller, cybersecurity is a highly demanded major.
“Entry level positions for cybersecurity majors can run from 50 to 70 thousand. It is how much students are willing to learn,” Miller said.
The partnership will also give instructors opportunities for professional development.
Gruich told WLOX the school will continue to help students learn skills that will help them wherever they choose to apply.
“They are using methodologies that hackers would normally use to get into an organization through back door entries, so what it teaches the students is how to prevent that from happening and protect organizations from outside threats,” Gruich said.
Some of the most common cybersecurity jobs are in casinos, banks and hospitals.
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