Official Launch of M.S. in Cybersecurity

Apr 5, 2018

By Tommy Riggs

FREDERICK, Maryland—Hood College is officially launching its new cybersecurity master’s degree program on April 5.

The new program addresses the growing demand for highly skilled cybersecurity professionals in the D.C. region and the nation. As of last year, there were approximately 350,000 cybersecurity openings in the U.S., and it is projected that globally, by next year, the total number of such positions will exceed 6 million.

The launch event will be highlighted by the inaugural lecture of the John C. and Janet Hobbs Cotton ’59 Cybersecurity Lecture Series with General Keith Alexander at 7 p.m. in Hodson Auditorium in Rosenstock Hall. There will be a networking event following the lecture from 8 to 9 p.m.

General Alexander is a retired four-star general with 40 years in the military, culminating in the director role at the National Security Agency and chief of the Central Security Service. He holds the distinction of serving in this role longer than any other director. While serving as the NSA director, he was appointed by Congress to be the first commander to lead the U.S. Cyber Command, establishing and defining how our nation is protected against cyber attacks.

General Alexander is the recipient of the 2016 United States Military Academy Distinguished Graduate Award. He holds four master’s degrees: a master’s in national security strategy from the National Defense University, degrees in systems technology and physics from the Naval Post Graduate School and a Master of Science in Business Administration from Boston University.

After his years of service, General Alexander founded IronNet Cybersecurity, a company focused on cybersecurity solutions for the commercial sector to make networks safe.

“Hosting an internationally known speaker, like General Alexander, underscores Hood’s commitment to excellence and will prominently place Hood College and Frederick, Maryland, in the national dialogue on cybersecurity education and training,” said April Boulton, Ph.D., dean of the Graduate School at Hood College.

Such recognition is made possible through a generous gift by Janet Hobbs Cotton ’59 and her husband, John C. Cotton, for the creation of the Cotton Cybersecurity Lecture Series. The speaker series will bring nationally recognized leaders in cybersecurity to Hood’s campus each semester.

Applications for the cybersecurity program are now being accepted for the fall semester. For more information about the lecture or admission, contact April Boulton at boulton@hood.edu or 301-696-3600.