WASHINGTON— Today, Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28) announced $68,996 in federal funding awarded to San Antonio College (SAC) through the Department of Education’s (ED) Cybersecurity Education Technological Upgrades for Community Colleges program. The award will create a two-year pilot program directly benefiting local students and improving cybersecurity education in Bexar County.

The goal of the SAC Cybersecurity Technology Upgrades Project is to increase retention and success in gatekeeper cybersecurity courses amongst SAC’s local student population. This funding will enable Computer Information Systems (CIS) faculty to move from a traditional, lecture-based approach to teaching difficult and abstract concepts using simulated work environments and real-world, IT-related workplace scenarios.

Specifically, the funding will establish a dedicated laboratory that will allow Information Assurance/Cybersecurity majors to participate in simulated scenarios that are modeled on real-world, workplace-based application of programming, networking and cybersecurity concepts.

Program objectives include:

·         increasing the percentage of students who pass the gatekeeper courses by at least 5%;

·         maintaining existing retention rates at 100%; 

·         raising those with less than full retention by at least 7%;

·         demonstrating collective improvement, particularly in the area of “soft” workplace skills, via employer evaluations conducted during mandatory student internships; and

·         collaborating with other institutions across the U.S. to expand curriculum resources and security information and toolkits. 

Congressman Cuellar continues to support these efforts to maintain the City of San Antonio’s competitiveness in a cybersecurity field that is rapidly growing more significant nationally. Earlier this year, he secured language in the U.S. House of Representative’s fiscal year 2019 Homeland Security Appropriations bill supporting efforts to improve the U.S.’s overall cybersecurity preparedness by directing additional technical resources to state and local governments.

“For years, I have been dedicated to enhancing our nation’s overall cybersecurity,” said Congressman Cuellar. “Institutions across the country often lack the financial resources needed to create and maintain adequate cyber security units. This funding will increase collaborations with colleges and universities across the country, fueling cybersecurity efforts in South Texas. By increasing retention and success in gatekeeper cybersecurity courses amongst SAC’s local student population, students will be better prepared to handle a variety of cybersecurity threats and challenges. I would like to thank the San Antonio Delegation including Lamar Smith (TX-21), Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Will Hurd (TX-23), and Lloyd Doggett (TX-35) for working with me on this issue.”

San Antonio is recognized as one of the nation’s leading cities for cybersecurity activity. The 24^th Air Force and 25^th Air Force, along with NSA, comprise the largest federal cybersecurity presence outside the nation’s capital. These government operations are locally supported by a burgeoning cyber-technology private-sector, comprised of more than 200 cybersecurity companies. The resulting workforce demand is maintained regionally by several collegiate educational initiatives in the district. The SAC Cybersecurity Technology Upgrades Project serves as the latest addition to this critical educational network in Bexar County.