UNC Pembroke is designated as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency (NSA) — a mark of distinction held by top cybersecurity programs nationwide.
Cyber Defense Education Center
A National Center of
Academic Excellence
What This Means for UNCP
As a CAE-designated institution, UNCP joins an elite group of universities across the nation committed to advancing cybersecurity education. Backed by the NSA’s National Cryptologic School, the CAE-CD program is a collaborative national effort supported by federal partners such as:
- Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
- National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST/NICE)
- National Science Foundation (NSF)
- U.S. Department of Defense Chief Information Office (DoD-CIO) • U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM)
Our designation also means that UNCP students are part of a federally recognized program of study, designed to prepare them for high-demand careers in the growing field of cybersecurity.
A leader in cyber education
Research at UNCP
Get real-world experience and make your mark through research. Work with our expert faculty on projects like Machine Learning Models and virtual driver's licenses. Get involved today and be on the cutting edge of cybersecurity's future.
Faculty-led Research & Assistantships
UNCP's Cybersecurity department has four paid research assistantships available for Internet-of-Vehicles Security. Just submit the interest form to apply.
Connect with a Club
Meet other UNCP students who have a passion for technology. Join the ACM Club and stay connected to technology news, collaborate on coding challenges and meet speakers in the field. Or join the UNCP A.I. club and participate in competitions, hackathons and more.
Through the center I was able to secure a software engineering internship at Microsoft, which is the job I've dreamed of since I was a kid. I know UNCP is the reason for much of my success.
community & industry partnerships
Build skills and boost your career readiness through our community and industry partnerships.
North Carolina Cybersecurity Ecosystem
NC-PACE offers cybersecurity outreach to raise awareness and educate communities on
cybersecurity threats and protection strategies. Activities include symposia, K-12
programs and hackathons.
National Cyberwatch Center
Membership is just one part of the National CyberWatch Center. This group is a resource
for cybersecurity students. It helps with education and professional development.
The center offers activities, networking and collaboration opportunities. Its goal
is to support school programs and raise awareness about careers in cybersecurity.
Competitions & Hackathons
Explore hackathons and cybersecurity competitions for hands-on experience, industry
exposure and a competitive edge that sets you apart in the job market.
Learn about HackUNCP
- Collegiate Penetration Testing Competition
- Dept. of Energy’s Cyber Force Competition
- Southeast collegiate/university Cyber Defense Competition
- U.S. Cyber Games
- BU Interdisciplinary Cyber competition
- IS Cyber Defense Competition
- An archive of nationwide Hackathons
- An archive of Raleigh Hackathons
- Annual Hack NC
Workshops & Certificates
Explore a range of opportunities and resources both within the college and beyond for students interested in cyber defense education at UNCP.
Cyber Defense Center Advisory Board
The Department of Computer Science receives guidance from its External Advisory Board. The board includes alumni and representatives from industry, government, academia and other organizations. The Advisory Board helps shape the department's vision, goals and curriculum for IT and cyber defense education at UNCP.
The goals of the External Advisory Board are to:
- Suggest ways to align our curriculum with the skills needed in today’s job market
- Assess the computing and network facilities in the department
- Promote internship and full-time job opportunities
- Facilitate connections between students and professionals in the industry
- Encourage joint projects and research opportunities
- Calvin Locklear, Architect, Red Hat Solutions
- Laura Rodgers, Director of Cybersecurity Practice, North Carolina State University
- LTC Bernard Flowers, NORAD and USNORTHCOM liaison to the U.S. NSA
- Mike Gorman, Head of Operations and CISO, NetFoundry
- Zach Oxendine, Service Engineer, Microsoft
- Elizabeth Coakley Guma, Director of Corporate Development, Corvid Technologies
Below are resources for the Advisory Board. To request past or future board agendas and minutes, please contact Dr. Prashanth BusiReddyGari at 910.521.6415 or prashanth.busireddygari@uncp.edu.
Partner with us
Partnering with UNCP’s Cyber Defense Education Center connects your organization to
emerging talent, cutting-edge research, and innovative cybersecurity solutions. Together,
we can strengthen your workforce pipeline while advancing digital security across
industries.
Opportunities
Some of the potential involvement opportunities include, but are not limited to:
- Present at UNCP
- Serve as Guest Speakers
- Arrange Corporate Tours
- Advise on Curriculum
- Identify Key Tools and Technologies
- Provide Case Studies or Projects
- Recruit for Internships and Permanent Positions
- Support Faculty Research
- Teach at UNCP
- Create Scholarships or Awards
- Sponsor Competitions
- Name a Research or Teaching Lab
Center Director
Prashanth Busi Reddy Gari
Assistant Professor of Computer Science
prashanth.busireddygari@uncp.edu910.521.6415
