Gannon University: Gannon University is a Champion in October for Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Gannon University announced its venture into intelligent systems design and cyber education in 2018. It has since developed an infrastructure that has brought together learning, real-world training and business development to meet the growing demands in today’s cyber industry.
Deepening its commitment to cybersecurity, the university is announcing Gannon as a 2022 Champion of the National Cyber Security Alliance’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month.
The Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champions Program is a collaborative effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations and individuals committed to global efforts advocating for cybersecurity and online behavior change during the month of October.
Gannon is dedicated to educating and training cyber professionals.
To aid in meeting the increasing demand for highly trained cyber professionals, Gannon launched programs in cybersecurity and cyber engineering in 2019 and officially opened the doors to its new, dedicated facility for cyber education and training– the Institute for Health and Cyber Knowledge, or I-HACK– in 2021. Most recently, the university dedicated the third floor, The Hatchery, in September which brings together industry and professional development with academic creativity and learning in one dedicated space. I-HACK has since welcomed 380 students from across multiple disciplines to learn in more than 30 courses within the facility.
The university is currently developing plans to begin construction on the sixth floor, which will house the Center for Manufacturing and Technology that is expected to be completed in Fall 2023. Here, regional manufacturers will have access to the resources, information and assistance to become more competitive in the global economy in five distinct areas of expertise, such as additive manufacturing, cybersecurity and cyber engineering.
In addition to the facility, Gannon has introduced new community partnerships as well as a Master’s in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance to expand training and professional development within our region’s economy. These partnerships, programs and opportunities within I-HACK are not only preparing students to enter the workforce ready to meet the high-demand for cyber professionals, but they are also providing resources to current businesses to address the types of threats and attacks challenging cyber security today.
Additionally, Gannon has partnered as a sponsor to CyberPatriot, supporting local and regional high school teams in a series of cyber competitions. Through the partnership, Gannon will host its third annual Cyber Camp for high school students in Summer 2023.
From supporting STEM outreach, to delivering robust cyber education, to training and business development, Gannon University has quickly integrated resources to impact the cyber industry to answer the call for the growing demand of trained professionals and solve the digital/cyber challenges facing our world today.
Gannon to participate in Cybersecurity Awareness Month
More than ever before, technology plays a part in almost everything we do. Connected devices have been woven into society as an integral part of how people communicate and access services essential to their well-being. Despite these great advances in technology and the conveniences this provides, recent events have shown us how quickly our lives and businesses can be disrupted when cyber criminals and adversaries use technology to do harm.
Gannon’s participation in Cybersecurity Awareness Month aims to shed light on these security vulnerabilities, while offering actionable guidance surrounding behaviors anyone can take to protect themselves and their organizations.
The university has faculty and staff experts available to speak throughout the month of October to speak on the main focus areas that the NCSA’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month will revolve around, including:
? Understanding and implementing basic cyber hygiene, including the importance of strong passphrases, using multi-factor authentication, performing software updates and backing up data.
? Recognizing and reporting phishing attempts whether it’s through email, text messages, or chat boxes.
? Empowering individuals to practice safe online behavior, as well as considering a career in cybersecurity to help secure our online world.
? Making cybersecurity a priority in business by making products and processes “secure by design” and considering cybersecurity when purchasing new internet-connected devices.