PNW’s College of Technology receives over $3 million in federal grants to support cybersecurity education, workplace development
Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) College of Technology received over $3 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Defense in continued support for cybersecurity-focused education and workforce development.
Purdue University Northwest’s College of Technology has been awarded over $3 million through two separate U.S. Department of Defense grants that will supplement the college’s ongoing initiatives to advance education and workforce development in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI).
PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity, a research center administered by the College of Technology, received $3 million in continued support for its AI-cybersecurity workforce certification training online programs. The programs facilitate opportunities for transitioning military, first responders, government employees and other adult trainees to earn core cybersecurity skills. By completing PNW’s training, participants are prepared for future cybersecurity certification exams and transitions to AI and cybersecurity careers.
“We are incredibly proud to receive this grant award so that we can continue providing significant workforce development opportunities for various transitioning professionals and support them in filling the gaps for the nation’s AI and cybersecurity workforce,” said Michael Tu, director of PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity and professor of Computer Information Technology. “Furthermore, we are privileged to earn this funding as a recognition of our high-quality cybersecurity education and outreach that contributes to understanding and innovation in these professional and academic sectors.”
PNW’s program is free for accepted applicants and provides tracks in AI literacy, cybersecurity administration and digital forensics. To learn more, visit pnw.edu/cybersecurity.
PNW’s share of $3 million is a subaward of $9.6 million granted to the University of West Florida’s Center for Cybersecurity, one of PNW’s Center for Cybersecurity’s academic partners, through the federal National Cybersecurity Workforce Development program.
We are incredibly proud to receive this grant award so that we can continue providing significant workforce development opportunities for various transitioning professionals and support them in filling the gaps for the nation’s AI and cybersecurity workforce.
The PNW College of Technology’s department of Computer Information Technology and Graphics also received $375,000 in renewed funding for the Cyber Service Academy scholarship, a program administered by the U.S. Department of Defense. The scholarship program benefits rising junior and senior undergraduate students and graduate students pursuing eligible degrees in cybersecurity and information technology with coverage of students’ tuition, books, fees and room and board.
Students who earn the scholarship are required to participate in experiential learning internships with a sponsoring federal agency. Upon graduation, scholarship recipients are guaranteed professional roles with a federal agency. They must complete professional service to the federal government equivalent to the number of years they received scholarship funding.
“This is a prestigious scholarship through a premiere program that supports a pipeline for PNW students to transition into important roles within the Department of Defense’s infrastructure,” said George Stefanek, associate professor of Computer Information Technology. “Along the way, these students will have other great opportunities to do research, make presentations at academic conferences, submit academic publications and earn workforce certifications.”
PNW is eligible for these two federal funding awards due to its designation as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, a recognition the institution has held since 2014. The status underscores PNW’s sustained commitment to well-established and high standards for cybersecurity education, research and workforce development, as endorsed by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. Through the designation, PNW students can compete for prestigious scholarships, conduct research on real-world issues and participate in nationwide cybersecurity competitions.