From left: STCC President John Cook, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, U.S. Representative Richard Neal, Springfield Redevelopment Authority Chairman Armando Feliciano, and Cybertrust Massachusetts CEO Peter Sherlock.
springfield — At a March 26 construction project briefing, community leaders announced the name of Union Station's cybersecurity center as the “Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.”
The name, announced by a group that includes STCC President John Cook and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, honors Neil and his commitment to cutting-edge cybersecurity education and improvements to Union Station. Neal, who provided a tour of the center currently under construction, led a funding effort in 2023 that resulted in the spending of $3 million Congress-directed to establish the center.
“This is a great honor and we are especially proud because we know this Cybersecurity Center for Excellence will have a significant impact on local students for years to come,” Neal said. I did. “This project represents some remarkable accomplishments for our region. One of only two cybersecurity centers in the state, this technology hub will be a hub for the region's brightest young people. We will invest in and provide the resources needed to learn how to combat these threats and strengthen Western Massachusetts' cybersecurity resiliency.
“With the opening of the Cybersecurity Center for Excellence, we are also celebrating a historic milestone of 100% occupancy of Union Station’s main concourse in this historic building,” Neal continued. . “Springfield Union Station has re-established the city of Springfield as a crossroads in New England and will soon be home to a state-of-the-art cybersecurity training center that will greatly benefit the region.”
The center is also supported by a $1.46 million state grant and $500,000 from the city of Springfield. This is one of two such centers to be established in the state. The other is at Bridgewater State University.
Scheduled to open later this year, Springfield's Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence will serve as a hub to advance cybersecurity awareness, education, and innovation while combating global security threats. The 6,000-square-foot facility includes a cyber range, a simulated training environment, and a security operations center envisioned as a support service for Massachusetts municipalities and local businesses to detect cybersecurity events in real time. And we will respond quickly.
“Once a mayor and always a mayoral figurehead, Congressman Richard Neal continues to provide exemplary leadership on behalf of the City of Springfield and Union Station, the home that Neal built,” Sarno said. he said.
The facility will serve as a regional center for Western Massachusetts and the rest of the country and is a joint venture of STCC, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, and CyberTrust Massachusetts.
“Under Congressman Neal’s leadership, the collaboration of government, business, and higher education leaders in Western Massachusetts will grow and diversify the cyber workforce and meet the security needs of the region’s cities, towns, and nonprofit organizations. “It was critical to the statewide effort to address 2019, 2018, and 2020 businesses,” said CyberTrust CEO Peter Sherlock. “With state-of-the-art cyber ranges, educational facilities, and a security operations center, this preeminent cyber center is a world-class resource serving the people and institutions of our region.”
Students who train at the center will prepare for the workforce, participate in paid internships, and work with experts to combat cybersecurity threats, a growing global problem. The cybersecurity industry needs more trained professionals to prevent intrusions and defeat security threats, and the new center will help meet that demand.
Mr. Cook continued to express his gratitude and enthusiasm for the center, as it aligns with STCC's mission of accessible and dynamic education and workforce development.
“Congressman Neal has long supported the needs of STCC, Springfield and the community,” he said. “We are grateful for his dedication to driving innovation and excellence in cybersecurity and for leading the collaboration to make this center a reality.”
The Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence offers a wide range of programs and resources, including but not limited to cutting-edge cyber range training, internships and industry partnerships to build experience and career networks, and research opportunities to establish best practices. We provide. Community support and education forum to raise awareness about emerging technologies, cybersecurity risks and solutions.
The center will also work to ensure access to the industry for underrepresented communities, particularly seeking to attract women and students of color to the field. STCC's programs include degrees in cybersecurity, programming, and computer systems engineering, and more than 200 students have the opportunity to train with her CCE as part of their degree or certificate.
