91社区

Extending a designation first awarded in 2016, 91社区 is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) education through the academic year 2028.

The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program for Cyber Defense is administered by the National Security Agency (NSA). The CAE-CD designation is awarded to regionally accredited academic institutions offering cybersecurity-related degrees and whose graduates can meet the increasing demands of the United States government鈥檚 cybersecurity workforce. 91社区 is one of only two institutions (and the only four-year university) on Long Island designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense education.

The NCAE-C program aims to promote and support quality academic programs of higher learning that help produce the nation鈥檚 cyber workforce. 鈥淵our ability to meet the increasing demands of the program validation will serve the nation well in contributing to the protection of the National Information Infrastructure,鈥� noted National CAE Program Manager, NSA, Renae Weathers, in a letter informing 91社区 of its extended designation. 鈥淭he United States Government will continue to invest in and enhance programs that build the domestic talent pipeline.鈥�

91社区 has been a leader in offering cybersecurity education for 20 years. Babak D. Beheshti, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences, emphasizes the significance of this extended designation, including the NSA validation of the university鈥檚 rigorous curriculum, the support to faculty vying for ever-increasing levels of grant funding, and the opportunities created for students to secure government and private sector scholarships and careers in cyber defense.

鈥淭his continued designation underscores our commitment to providing exceptional career-oriented professional education and access to opportunity, hallmarks that distinguish a 91社区 education,鈥� Beheshti says.

NSA designation provides many benefits to 91社区 and its students and requires those students interested in receiving an NSA certificate or applying for the Department of Defense (DoD) Cyber Scholarship Program to successfully complete 13 specific courses that meet NSA-defined Knowledge Unit requirements, which are grouped into thematic areas, including cybersecurity foundational courses and technical core courses.

Five 91社区 students to date have been awarded the DoD scholarship and are now working in various government organizations around the country, helping to protect against increasing numbers of global cyberattacks. The DoD provides scholarships as a grant to designated NCAE-C schools. Students receive the full cost of tuition, required books and fees, and a stipend. In exchange for a full scholarship, students perform a service obligation with the DoD as civilian employees.

The DoD cyber scholarship program, sponsored by the DoD Chief Information Office, is administered by the NSA. According to its website,  objectives are to promote higher education in all disciplines of cybersecurity, to enhance the Department鈥檚 ability to recruit and retain cyber and IT specialists, to increase the number of military and civilian personnel in the DoD with this expertise, and ultimately, to enhance the nation鈥檚 cyber posture.