Parson joins Vargas in SEMO accreditation announcement

Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect correct information.

Gov. Mike Parson and Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas-Aburto jointly announced Friday the university�s computer science department received a prestigious accreditation.

The university�s cybersecurity program is one of only four programs in the United States to receive accreditation this month from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, or ABET, in a pilot program originated last fall, Vargas said.

According to a program search on ABET.org, the four institutions are Southeast, Towson University, United States Air Force Academy and United States Naval Academy.

Prior to that program, Vargas said, no program-specific accreditation for cybersecurity programs existed.

Gov. Mike Parson listens Friday as Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas-Aburto details progress made with the university's cybersecurity program at Dempster Hall in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

The department�s computer science degree also received re-accreditation from ABET.

Southeast�s cybersecurity program has grown from an initial 15 students in 2011 to more than 150 today, Vargas said. At the time, it was the only cybersecurity program in Missouri, and is now one of about 50 in the nation.

Vargas said Southeast�s programs in computer science, computer information systems and cybersecurity are �second to none.�

More than 400 students study in three undergraduate programs in the computer science department, and nearly 50 students are enrolled in a new Master of Applied Computer Science, newly offered this fall.

The announcements were made in Dempster Hall, site of Southeast�s future �cyber range,� to be used in cyberdefense training and competitions. The range is expected to open in spring 2019.

Gov. Mike Parson shakes hands with Southeast Missouri State University president Carlos Vargas-Aburto on Friday after a news conference at Dempster Hall in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

�It is our hope that this space, along with our demonstrated academic success, will serve as a catalyst for creating a centralized point for encouraging and promoting partnerships between government, industry, education and other sectors in this critically important area,� Vargas said in his speech.

Southeast�s cyberdefense team has won the Missouri Collegiate Cyber Defense competition for the past six years, and has consistently finished in the top five at the Midwest Regional Cyber Defense Competition, he added.

A new Master of Science in cybersecurity program will launch in spring semester 2019, as well.

The new program will focus on critical societal and business infrastructure, including water, power, communications, military, health care and transportation, according to a university news release.

�There isn�t a discipline or job that doesn�t need computer science,� Sumanth Yenduri, chairman of the Department of Computer Science, stated in the release. �They are also highly paid and needed in every type of industry.�

Gov. Mike Parson speaks to media after Friday a news conference at Dempster Hall in Cape Girardeau.BEN MATTHEWS

Gov. Parson has placed strong emphasis on workforce development and infrastructure since becoming governor.

Agriculture is Missouri�s leading industry, and, Parson said, the future of agriculture is in technology.

�I think if you look at the technology involved in agriculture, it�s not like we used to farm in the old days,� Parson said after the announcement. �Now everything is high-tech.�

Parson mentioned his visit earlier Friday to the University of Missouri�s Delta Research Center in Portageville, Missouri, and his tour of Southeast�s technology, including drones.

�What it took us 240 years to do with agriculture, we�ll have to double production of that in the next 40 years, and the only way is through technology, science and research,� Parson said.

mniederkorn@semissourian.com

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