Capitol College Receives $80,000 BRAC Higher Education Grant

Kyle Anderson Marketing & Communications Coordinator 301-369-2800, ext. 3015 kdanderson@capitol-college.edu

Michael Raia, Office of the Lt. Governor

410-260-3888

mraia@gov.state.md.us

 

Laurel, Md. (December 20, 2010) – Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown announced Friday that Capitol College received one of 11 BRAC Higher Education grants. The $80,475 grant, made available through legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 2008, will help Capitol College develop the Center of Academic Excellence Collaboration Cybersecurity Virtual Resource Lab.

 

“Capitol College appreciates the recognition from the State of Maryland, and we are committed to the Maryland initiative of cybersecurity,” said Dr. Michael T. Wood, Capitol College president. “The BRAC Higher Education grant affords Capitol College the opportunity to improve and expand our renowned cybersecurity program and facilities.”

 

“I applaud Capitol College and the eight other institutes of higher education on their successful grant application. It is only through our partnerships that Maryland will reap every benefit of BRAC,” Lt. Governor Brown said. “Governor O’Malley and I have set clear priorities that put an emphasis on job creation and we wholly understand that our strong network of public, independent and community colleges play an important role in reaching our ambitious goals.”

 

Capitol will partner with other two-year and four-year Maryland-based higher education Centers of Academic Excellence (CAEs) in Information Assurance (IA) to build the cybersecurity virtual resource lab. All CAEs will collaborate to create virtual cybersecurity resources and exercises via Capitol’s online platform. The virtual resource lab will cast a wide net over a variety of needs identified in the BRAC 2011 Higher Education Investment Fund Request for Applications, including providing knowledge and hands-on experiences (via virtual lab) to students enrolled in associate, baccalaureate, masters, doctoral, and certificate programs in information assurance, telecommunications, software engineering, computer science, and related STEM programs at partnering Maryland CAE institutions. 

 

The collaboration will increase research opportunities and virtual resource development opportunities for both students and faculty at Capitol and partnering Maryland CAE institutions.

While each CAE currently provides their students with laboratory-based exercises, those exercises are limited to the particular expertise of the cybersecurity faculty. Working together, in a collaborative environment, those exercises could be shared across all CAE programs, thus strengthening IA education and research in the state of Maryland.   

 

Capitol College is the only independent college in Maryland dedicated to education in engineering, computer science, information technology and business through practices of leadership and innovation. Founded in 1927, Capitol offers associate, bachelor’s and master's degrees, a doctor of science in information assurance, professional development training and certificates. Academic programs are grounded in centers of excellence; these include the Space Operations Institute, the Critical Infrastructures and Cyber Protection Center, the Innovation and Leadership Institute, and the Center for Space Science Education and Public Outreach. The college campus is located in Laurel, Maryland, a suburban setting midway between Baltimore and Washington, DC. www.capitol-college.edu.