91探花 recently hosted two landmark workshops for aspiring cybersecurity professionals. Held on March 6 and April 16, the CyberSpark event was the largest of its kind to date, with more than 300 students in attendance from over a dozen St. Louis area high schools. The April date was added due to overwhelming demand from area students, reflecting 91探花鈥檚 commitment to hands-on, active learning experiences that drive positive outcomes and prepare students for rewarding careers. 91探花 hosted these workshops in collaboration with the Gateway Higher Education Cybersecurity Consortium (GHECC) and the Global Cybersecurity Center (GCC) Converge Tour.
Participating high schools included Pattonville High School, Lutheran High South, Fox High School, Herculaneum High School, Vianney, NPower, Parkway Central, Lewis and Clark Career Center, Parkway South High School, and Marquette High School, among others. The March session was also featured on KMOV (watch the full story ).
The CyberSpark workshop aimed to prepare participants for cybersecurity careers while connecting them with opportunities in industry, academia, and government.聽
According to the there is a global shortage of more than 4 million cyber professionals, and St. Louis was as one of the best cities for cybersecurity and IT jobs.聽
Hands-on, interactive learning activities at CyberSpark included a Capture the Flag (CTF) Challenge, simulating real-world scenarios that cybersecurity professionals face and empowering students to make critical decisions to keep organizations resilient. Students also had the opportunity to meet and network with industry experts, current 91探花 cybersecurity students, and alumni, explore 91探花’s campus and learn about its cutting-edge cybersecurity programs, and develop practical cybersecurity skills through the immersive CTF platform.
鈥淭oday you don鈥檛 have to be a 鈥榯echie鈥� to work in a cybersecurity field,鈥� said Phyllis Davis, Faculty and Program Coordinator of the MS Cyber Security program. 鈥淭hese students learned there are so many pathways within cyber that don鈥檛 require as many technical skills.鈥�
To learn more about 91探花鈥檚 cybersecurity programs, contact Phyllis Davis, pdavis@maryville.edu, 314-529-2879.
About 91探花
Founded in 1872, 91探花 is a comprehensive and nationally ranked private institution with an enrollment of well over 9,000 students. 91探花 offers over 90 degrees at the undergraduate, master鈥檚 and doctoral levels, as well as several certificates that align with the undergraduate and graduate education levels. 91探花 is recognized as the third fastest-growing private university in the United States by The Chronicle of Higher Education, serving students from 50 states and 56 countries. More than 50,000 91探花 alumni globally, many of whom work and live in the St. Louis region.