Southwest Baptist University is excited to announce a new partnership with Bolivar
High School that will allow their students to earn dual credit for cybersecurity courses.
Students in this groundbreaking program will be able to take entry level cybersecurity
courses through SBU and gain hands on experience that will prepare them for IT positions
directly after their high school graduation.
This program is designed to tap into the talents of the community for the benefit of the community.
"We are proud to partner with Southwest Baptist University to provide our students with specialized coursework in cybersecurity. This collaboration opens doors to a high-demand career path, ensuring our graduates are equipped with the skills needed to excel in an increasingly digital workforce." said Dr. Michael Methvin, Superintendent - Bolivar Schools
The program will focus on entry level cybersecurity classes that are ideal and applicable for high school students but will provide the hands-on experience needed for many entry level IT positions. At the end of the program, students will complete the CompTIA Security+ Certification Exam.
Dr. Amos Gichamba, Division Head and Associate Professor of Computing, has been instrumental in the creation of this program.
He notes that, “Cybersecurity skills are becoming increasingly important, with the majority of companies scrambling to find qualified cybersecurity professionals to avert cyberattacks and secure their environments. This program equips high school students with entry-level Cybersecurity skills and provides opportunities to practice them through apprenticeships. The program (also) provides a path to industry-recognized certificates and advanced studies in Cybersecurity at the Associate and Bachelor's degree levels."
Students will spend time on both SBU’s and BHS’ campuses; throughout the program they will be able to tap into the knowledge of SBU’s PHD educated faculty. SBU’s cybersecurity program meets the requirements of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Curriculum for the program is industry informed with help from its advisory boards: one consists of program alumni and the other industry leaders. Course material is constantly evaluated and updated to remain relevant to industry needs.
There are also plans to integrate an apprenticeship opportunity within the program so that students will have the ability to apply their skills in real life scenarios with actual businesses.
Questions about the cybersecurity dual credit program should be directed to Dr Gichamba via email: agichamba@sbuniv.edu