SEMO hits the mark with its cybersecurity accreditation

Missouri's governor celebrated Southeast Missouri State's accreditation recently in the university's computer science department.

Parson was on hand as the university recognized its cybersecurity program, one of only four in the United States to receive the accreditation this month from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, or ABET, in a pilot program that originated last fall, according to a story reported by Marybeth Niederkorn.

The department's computer science degree also received reaccreditation from ABET.

The cybersecurity program has grown from 15 students in 2011 to 150, and students are quickly being selected for high-paying jobs upon graduation. Southeast always performs well in cybersecurity competitions, having won the Missouri cyber defense competition the last six years and consistently placing in the top five in the Midwest Regional Cyber Defense Competition.

Gov. Mike Parson, who has a long agriculture background, talked about how technology is used and needed into today's agribusiness.

Congrats to Southeast for the accreditation and for its forward thinking, anticipating the need to develop highly trained professionals in computer sciences and cybersecurity.