ECPI University Earns Second Place for National Title, Just Behind School More than 100 Times its Size
Members of ECPI University’s Columbia campus’ Cybersecurity Team impressed cybersecurity professionals throughout the nation, coming in 2nd place at the Wicked6 Cyber Games in Las Vegas on August 8. The team of five came from a campus of just 300 students and faced five other schools with enrollments of between 16,000 and 68,000. Ultimately, the ECPI team came within 1.5 points (out of more than 1,700) of overtaking the University of Colorado-Boulder, a school of more than 33,000 students.
Hosted by the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu and sponsored in part by Microsoft and the National Security Agency (NSA), competitors at Wicked6 are challenged to exhibit critical cyber defense skills that directly map to abilities that corporate recruiters seek to fill the growing number of IT security jobs. The top three finishers are as follows:
- University of Colorado Boulder
- ECPI University
- University of Central Florida
By itself, reaching the finals of such a competition is quite an accomplishment. However, ECPI University students are not like those they were competing against. This team of students – often referred to as non-traditional – managed to excel while managing lives that are a bit more demanding. While they balance their competition duties with a full load of classes, they are also husbands and wives, mothers, and fathers, and hold down full-time jobs.
ECPI University’s strong showing is not only a testament to its students, but also the strength of its Cyber and Network Security program. “These scenarios were very challenging, real world scenarios that cybersecurity practitioners face on a daily basis,” says ECPI University Dean of Computer and Information Science Dr. Keith Morneau. “Students needed to collaborate and communicate with their team to accomplish the scenario. It required all four team members to be engaged to be successful. Students needed to apply everything we have taught them in our Cyber and Network Security degree program and had to practice their skills over a six month period to reinforce their learning they got from our program.
“This competition validates that our program delivers on its pledge to educate and train students to become highly-skilled cybersecurity professionals through our unique immersive, hands-on approach to cybersecurity education. These students are ready to hit the ground running in industry.”
For more information, please contact ECPI University Director of Communications David Brandt at 757.213.3613 or dbrandt@ecpi.edu.
About ECPI University
ECPI University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award the associate’s, baccalaureate, and master’s degrees and diplomas. SACSCOC is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. A private university founded in 1966, ECPI University has campuses in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Texas, and offers convenient classes during the day, evening, and online; graduate employment services, continuing education, certification classes, and testing are also available.
On campus or online, fields of study include: HEALTH SCIENCES: Master of Science in Nursing, Nursing (RN to BSN), BS to BSN, Nursing (RN), Practical Nursing, Healthcare Administration, Health Information Management, Physical Therapist Assistant, Massage Therapy, Dental Assisting, Medical Assisting, Radiography, Sonography, Surgical Technology; TECHNOLOGY: Master of Science in Information Systems, Master of Science in Cybersecurity, Cyber and Network Security, Information Systems, Software Development, Cloud Computing, Web Development, Database Programming, Electronics Engineering Technology, Mechatronics/Advanced Manufacturing, Mechanical Engineering Technology; BUSINESS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE: Master of Business Administration (MBA), Accounting, Business Administration, IT Management, Hospitality Management, Criminal Justice, Homeland Security; CULINARY: Culinary Arts, Culinary Nutrition, Food Service Management, Baking and Pastry Arts. (Program field availability varies by campus.) For more information, visit http://www.ecpi.edu.
