FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2023
Contact: Martha M. Parham, Ed.D.
202-728-0200 x209
mparham@aacc.nche.edu
The announcement follows AACC and Microsoft’s commitment to grow community college cybersecurity programs.
Washington, D.C. – January 19, 2023 – The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) is pleased to announce the second cohort of 14 community colleges to join the community of practice enabled by Microsoft and AACC’s Cyber Skills for All initiative. The initiative enables Microsoft and AACC to partner with dozens of community colleges to give them technical assistance and support their efforts to create and expand cybersecurity programs.
AACC competitively selected the first cohort of fourteen (14) community colleges to join the community of practice early in 2022. With the announcement of the second cohort, the initiative will encompass 26 states.
Each selected college will receive $20,000 to actively participate in the community of practice. The community of practice is comprised of community college workforce and economic development executives who will work to skill people for jobs and participation in the digital economy.
“The United States faces a cybersecurity skills crisis – we simply don’t have enough people to combat the increasing number of cybersecurity attacks,” said Kate Behncken, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Philanthropies. “By working with AACC we can help ensure there are enough people with the necessary skills to keep organizations secure and people safe.”
“As technology evolves so do the skills needed to protect the nation’s technology infrastructure,” said Dr. Walter G. Bumphus, AACC’s president and CEO. “Working together with Microsoft, we will provide these community colleges with resources to ensure students learn the relevant skills needed in the workforce. Selected community colleges will have the opportunity to learn best practices from one another to continue to deliver high-quality, industry-relevant cyber skills education to all students.”
Each community of practice member will receive direct technical assistance from AACC. Additionally, AACC will host monthly webinars on critical topics for college leaders to embed and prioritize cybersecurity within their college’s talent preparation efforts. These webinars will also be an opportunity for community of practice members to elevate promising and best practices in program design and delivery for replication, adaptation, and scaling at other institutions across the country.
The second cohort of community colleges includes:
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MS)
Hostos Community College (NY)
University of Arkansas Cossatot (AR)
North Hennepin Community College (MN)
Wichita State University Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology (WSU Tech) (KS)
Community College of Philadelphia (PA)
Central Community College (NE)
Bellevue College (WA)
Southwest Tennessee Community College (TN)
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College (WV)
College of Western Idaho (ID)
Tulsa Community College (OK)
City Colleges of Chicago (IL)
College of Southern Nevada (NV)
For more information: https://www.aacc.nche.edu/programs/workforce-economic-development/cyber-skills-for-all
About AACC
As the voice of the nation’s community colleges, the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), delivers educational and economic opportunity for the more than 10 million diverse students in search of the American Dream. Uniquely dedicated to access and success for all students, AACC’s member colleges provide an on-ramp to degree attainment, skilled careers, and family-supporting wages. Located in Washington, D.C., AACC advocates for these not-for-profit, public-serving institutions to ensure they have the resources and support they need to deliver on the mission of increasing economic mobility for all. https://www.aacc.nche.edu/
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