Mikulski Announces $5.3 Million Federal Grant for Prince George's Community College CyberWatch Education Program

Senator Puts Funds in Federal Checkbook for Cyber Programs, Preparing Students for Jobs that Make Country Safer and Maryland Economy Stronger

September 27, 2012

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations Subcommittee, today announced that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a $5.3 million federal grant over four years to Prince George's Community College (PGCC) to support its CyberWatch cyber security education program. An initial down payment of $2,720,986 in federal grant funding will be effective October 1, 2012. Senator Mikulski puts funds in the federal checkbook for cyber education scholarships and programs including CyberWatch to prepare students for jobs that make our country safer and Maryland's economy stronger.  

"Maryland is the global epicenter of cyber security. And we are national leaders in developing the cyber workforce of today to fill cyber jobs that are available now," Senator Mikulski said. "These funds in the federal checkbook will ensure that PGCC's CyberWatch program will continue to prepare Maryland students today for jobs tomorrow that will make our country safer and Maryland's economy stronger."  

PGCC is the home-base for the CyberWatch program.  CyberWatch's mission is to better prepare more students to enter the cybersecurity workforce.  PGCC and its 95 partner institutions in 29 states are focused on students from elementary to graduate school, especially students in community colleges.  CyberWatch includes 10 Maryland community colleges and 7 Maryland universities.  The program provides specialized curricula to partner schools, developed in partnership with cyber businesses and government agencies, so graduates are ready for jobs in the cyber technology field. The program is supported through a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant program funded by Senator Mikulski's CJS bill.  

PGCC is designated a National Center of Academic Excellence of Information Assurance 2-Year Education for its leading role in cyber workforce development and preparing students for jobs of the future. The distinction is jointly sponsored by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). National Centers of Academic Excellence promote higher education and research into decreasing America's vulnerability to cyber-attacks and increasing the number of certified cyber warriors to protect our digital infrastructure.