Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Hood College Cyber Partnership Wins National Award

  • 08/13/19

FREDERICK, MD – Hood College’s cyber pipeline has won the 2019 National CyberWatch Center’s “Innovations in Cyber Security Education” award in the program development category.

In an effort to support the growing need for trained professionals in the cybersecurity field, both regionally and nationally, Hood has led the charge to establish a formal cyber pipeline that offers students degrees at the associate, baccalaureate, and master’s levels to propel them to a successful cyber career.

Students who graduate from Frederick Community College with an associate degree in cybersecurity can transfer credits toward a cybersecurity bachelor’s degree at Mount St. Mary’s University (MSMU). Students in the MSMU program are eligible to take courses at Hood that will count toward their bachelor’s degrees and have the opportunity to waive foundational courses upon entry into Hood’s master’s program.

The “Innovations in Cyber Security Education” awards program showcases a range of creative and pioneering ideas across four categories: evidence-based strategies, instruction, practice, and program development.

“One goal of this program is to accelerate the adoption and adaptation of new ideas throughout the academic and workforce development communities, while at the same time, recognizing individuals and organizations for their work,” says Casey W. O’Brien, executive director at the National CyberWatch Center. “This cyber pipeline initiated by Hood achieves this goal by providing a single, unified degree pathway toward a career in cybersecurity.”

This three-school partnership saves students tuition money and time, offers seamless sharing of computer lab facilities and software, provides unique cross-mentorship and collaboration opportunities with faculty from multiple institutions, and allows for students to meet privately with experts in the cybersecurity field who speak at Hood’s Cotton Cyber Series.

“This award is a reflection of Hood’s commitment to strategic regional partnerships developed in support of a critical need in the state of Maryland,” says Hood Provost Debbie Ricker, who accepted the award at a summit in Louisiana on July 30. “The cyber pipeline we have built, connecting students at all three institutions, is a one-of-a-kind model. It is innovative in its design and responsive to student demand for an educational option that is both time- and cost-effective.

“Behind this award is an amazingly talented team of Hood College faculty and staff who have brought this partnership to life. It is a true testament to their commitment to the students we serve.”

About Hood College
Hood College is an independent, liberal arts college, offering 32 undergraduate majors, four pre-professional programs, 17 graduate programs, two doctorates and 11 post-baccalaureate certificates. Located in historic Frederick, near Washington, DC, Baltimore, and the I-270 technology corridor, Hood gives students access to countless internships and research opportunities.

Featured

  • Round Rock ISD Completes New Early College High School

    Round Rock ISD near Austin, Texas, recently announced that construction is complete on a new, 46,500-square-foot campus for Early College High School, according to a news release. The new facility will allow the school’s students and staff to move from portables into a permanent building and increase its enrollment to 500.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.