MHCC receives designation by the National Security Agency

Valid through the 2029 academic year, Mt. Hood Community College received its designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency.

The designation is awarded to institutions that meet rigorous criteria and demonstrate the ability to support the nation's efforts in protecting the National Information Infrastructure.

“This designation reaffirms the hard work of our cybersecurity faculty, our commitment to academic excellence, and our role in building a highly skilled cybersecurity workforce that is essential for national security,” MHCC President Dr. Lisa Skari said in a press release.

As outlined in the National Cyber Strategy, this achievement "underscores" MHCC's role in addressing the shortage of cybersecurity professionals.

This recognition emphasizes an importance of higher education in developing a robust cybersecurity talent pipeline, the press release said. The National Cyber Strategy, published in 2018, highlights the advantage of a highly skilled cybersecurity workforce and the need to invest in education programs promoting these ideals.

MHCC’s Bachelor of Applied Science in cybersecurity program formally launches this fall. According to the press release, the program is the only one of its kind in the state to be offered at a community college.