ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., March 31, 2025 -- St. Petersburg College (SPC) continues to meet regional and national demand for a highly skilled cybersecurity workforce as it is once again designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. In fact, in SPC's latest graduation in December, the College awarded 44 cybersecurity certificates, the fourth most awarded credential among graduates.
In 2019, SPC was the fourth state college in Florida to receive the two-year designation for the Cybersecurity Associate in Science degree. Since then, the College added a Bachelor of Applied Science in Cybersecurity to its list of technology programs.
"This selection as a National Center of Excellence highlights SPC's mission to provide a high-quality education to produce skilled IT professionals in the Tampa Bay community," said SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams. "SPC is proud to push the boundaries of success and provide better jobs, better lives, and better communities."
This achievement, valid through the academic year 2029, from the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), confirms the program's rigor and viability to promote higher education and develop a high-quality workforce with expertise in cyber defense.
"Receiving the re-designation from the NSA is quite an honor and achievement. The process of designation, and subsequent re-designation, is quite rigorous, and not every institution receives this distinguished designation," said Jimmy Chang, SPC's Dean of Mathematics and Acting Dean, College of Computer and Information Technology.
The NSA is addressing the critical shortage of professionals with cybersecurity skills by highlighting the importance of higher education as a solution to defending America's cyberspace. The Tampa Bay Economic Development Council found that defense contractors represent $20 billion and 175,000 total jobs, and nine of the top 10 U.S. defense contractors are in Tampa Bay.
About St. Petersburg College
Founded in 1927, St. Petersburg College (SPC) is Florida's first two-year college. Regionally accredited and nationally recognized, SPC became Florida's first state college to offer bachelor's degrees. The College now offers more than 200 associate and bachelor's degrees, certificates, and transfer programs, as well as many high-demand, high-skill, industry-recognized workforce certifications. The College's career-focused curriculum is created with input from industry experts to provide students with real-world skills needed to meet the needs of today's employers.
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