Jamil Brown of Colorado Springs is a graduate of Baylor University with a degree in economics. In the following article, Major Jamil Brown discusses Baylor’s contributions to national security research and education.
On September 7, the Baylor University, in partnership with McLennan Community College, has officially launched the Central Texas Cyber Range (CTCR), a whopping $3.5 million venture designed to address the country’s present and future cybersecurity needs. Through education and training, this project aims to soothe the critical workforce necessities at local, country, and global levels.
Jamil Brown of Colorado Springs explains that the CTCR will focus on cybersecurity leadership, analysis and consulting, transformational applied research, and community engagement to become the front-running initiative in the battle to develop a workforce that’s qualified to handle the ever-growing need for cybersecurity research, training, and professionalism in the United States of America.
Jamil Brown Notes a Milestone Moment for the Waco Community
After ribbon-cutting, the president of Baylor University, Linda A. Livingston, Ph.D., thanked MCC for the partnership and support in crafting the Central Texas Cyber Range and for Pete Sessions, Congressman, who has been a great supporter from the beginning.
The Department of Education grant awards secured the Cyber Range $2.5 million, with over $1 million coming from the Office of the Vice Provost for Research at Baylor and private donors. However, it’s the partnership with McLennan Community College that has allowed the project to come to fruition and be so readily poised to strengthen cybersecurity’s future.
Jamil Brown of Colorado Springs states that CTCR’s opening marks a milestone moment for the collaborative and the wider community. The high-tech facility is the pinnacle of partnership that Congressman Sessions said he’s delighted to support.
America is becoming more reliant on all-things virtual, so developing its cybersecurity workforce isn’t optional anymore — it’s a necessity. And this establishment will teach students cutting-edge skills to handle cybersecurity threats and catapult well-informed professionals into this crucial field. Whether community college, undergraduate, graduate, or continuous professional development levels, Central Texas is set to become the pipeline for workforce professionals across the country.
Forming Partnerships with Industry and Academia
To tackle the always-evolving sophistication of digital threats, industry leaders need to go through particular training to achieve the necessary skillset. Thus, Baylor and MCC have developed partnerships with various entities across the sector to evaluate the most resilient solutions and find creative development concepts.
Jamil Brown of Colorado Springs says that as it stands, the establishment is working alongside CompTIA and EC-Council to create custom-tailored training content that will meet the ever-altering cybersecurity necessities. Baylor boasts an undergraduate program and a graduate course dedicated to cybersecurity, while MCC has an associate degree in the topic.
Major Jamil Brown reports that both the schools are Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, as designated by NSA. Plus, Baylor is a member of the USCYBERCOM Academic Engagement Network.
Jamil Brown of Colorado Springs also notes that the leading technology used in the CTCR offers professionals and students alike a mix of real-world scenarios from which they can expand and develop their workplace skills and one day prevent, find, and respond to cyberattacks.
Providing Education, Research and Development in This Crucial Field
Since a Forbes article estimated over 700,000 vacant cybersecurity jobs in the United States, the partnership between Baylor and MCC plans to go further than the above-mentioned education opportunities.
Using the Central Texas Cyber Range as a hub, students can begin their cybersecurity-related studies at MCC before completing it at Baylor, while having the opportunity to conduct their entire study at Baylor if they choose.
As Jeff Donahoo, Ph.D., a computer science professor at the Baylor School of Engineering and Computer Science, rightly put it, the CTCR is an economic opportunity — graduates receive a certification that leads to jobs or already-working professionals can extend their knowledge to earn promotions and higher-paying roles.
Major Jamil Brown explains that the Range’s research efforts use the expertise of certain Baylor and MCC faculty members. Those who are well-versed in cyber resilience, transformational applied research, and security innovation are most lauded, with experts noting these are the key areas that can affect the country’s cyber future.
CTCR Has Already Held Its First Summer Camp
Jamil Brown of Colorado Springs remarks that outreach and programming began this summer, with the facility holdings its first summer camp for high schoolers during this time. Almost 70% of its participants came from underrepresented populations, and sources state future projects will continue bridging the gap between community training and workforce need.
A platform like this doesn’t come around very often, but the industry will be glad that CTCR has.
