UNC Pembroke recently signed an articulation agreement with Southeastern Community College (SCC) to provide a seamless pathway for information technology students seeking to further their education in the cybersecurity field.
The new partnership will increase the pipeline of cybersecurity professionals across the region. Cybersecurity is among the most in-demand professions and fastest-growing career areas nationally. The partnership with SCC will address the national workforce shortage.
“This pathway is the latest example of the long-standing relationship between our two institutions and another opportunity to change lives through education,” Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings said during a signing ceremony at SCC on April 28.
“It is vitally important for the continued growth of southeastern North Carolina’s economy that we fully leverage the power and potential of SCC and UNCP to improve the lives of students, the lives around them, and move our region forward.
“Through this new opportunity, a four-year degree in an extremely in-demand field becomes even more accessible for students to pursue, and that is the result of strong partnerships,” Dr. Cummings said.
The agreement eases the transition for students who complete an Associate in Applied Science in information technology to transfer and complete a bachelor’s degree in information technology with a cybersecurity track.
According to national statistics, there were 600,000 cybersecurity job openings between April 2020 and March 2021. The new partnership will specifically target workforce development, according to SCC President Chris English.
“Everything we do at SCC is about workforce development,” Dr. English said. “We take pride in knowing that we have this great partnership with UNCP, and it is evident that we keep leaning on UNCP, and you keep stepping up to the challenge. You understand our students’ needs and Columbus County’s needs.
“I reassure you that our strong partnership with Whiteville City Schools and Columbus County Schools will be extended through this so that we can develop our youth into a great career,” English continued.
UNCP offers cybersecurity tracks with undergraduate programs in computer science and information technology. These programs have shown significant growth since their inception. In fall of 2022, UNCP began offering a Bachelor of Science in cybersecurity.
The new degree program includes a strong math and computer science foundation, combining lectures with real-world case studies, hands-on experience in cyber labs and collaborative faculty-student research opportunities.
To further bolster the university’s cybersecurity programs, UNCP was recently designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency (NSA). UNCP also partnered with state and federal entities and established the Cyber Defense Education Center.
The designation opens the door for scholarships and internships with collaborative agreements established under NSA partnerships. Students will be eligible to participate in cyber competitions and work on NSA-funded research projects.
