Maryville University recently hosted two landmark workshops for aspiring cybersecurity professionals. Held on March 6 and April 16, the CyberSpark event was the largest of its kind to date, with more than 300 students in attendance from over a dozen St. Louis area high schools. The April date was added due to overwhelming demand from area students, reflecting Maryville University’s commitment to hands-on, active learning experiences that drive positive outcomes and prepare students for rewarding careers. Maryville hosted these workshops in collaboration with the Gateway Higher Education Cybersecurity Consortium (GHECC) and the Global Cybersecurity Center (GCC) Converge Tour.

Participating high schools included Pattonville High School, Lutheran High South, Fox High School, Herculaneum High School, Vianney, NPower, Parkway Central, Lewis and Clark Career Center, Parkway South High School, and Marquette High School, among others. The March session was also featured on KMOV (watch the full story here).

The CyberSpark workshop aimed to prepare participants for cybersecurity careers while connecting them with opportunities in industry, academia, and government. 

According to the World Economic Forum there is a global shortage of more than 4 million cyber professionals, and St. Louis was recently recognized as one of the best cities for cybersecurity and IT jobs. 

Hands-on, interactive learning activities at CyberSpark included a Capture the Flag (CTF) Challenge, simulating real-world scenarios that cybersecurity professionals face and empowering students to make critical decisions to keep organizations resilient. Students also had the opportunity to meet and network with industry experts, current Maryville cybersecurity students, and alumni, explore Maryville University’s campus and learn about its cutting-edge cybersecurity programs, and develop practical cybersecurity skills through the immersive CTF platform.

“Today you don’t have to be a ‘techie’ to work in a cybersecurity field,” said Phyllis Davis, Faculty and Program Coordinator of the MS Cyber Security program. “These students learned there are so many pathways within cyber that don’t require as many technical skills.”

To learn more about Maryville University’s cybersecurity programs, contact Phyllis Davis, pdavis@maryville.edu, 314-529-2879.

About Maryville University
Founded in 1872, Maryville University is a comprehensive and nationally ranked private institution with an enrollment of well over 9,000 students. Maryville offers over 90 degrees at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels, as well as several certificates that align with the undergraduate and graduate education levels. Maryville is recognized as the third fastest-growing private university in the United States by The Chronicle of Higher Education, serving students from 50 states and 56 countries. More than 50,000 Maryville alumni globally, many of whom work and live in the St. Louis region.