ECPI University Earns Second Place for National Title, Just Behind School More than 100 Times its Size

Columbia, SC – Members of ECPI University’s Columbia campus’ Cybersecurity Team impressed cybersecurity professionals throughout the nation, coming in 2^nd place at the Wicked6 Cyber Games in Las Vegas on August 8. The team of five came from a campus of just 300 students and faced five other schools with enrollments of between 16,000 and 68,000. Ultimately, the ECPI team came within 1.5 points (out of more than 1,700) of overtaking the University of Colorado-Boulder, a school of more than 33,000 students. 

Hosted by the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu and sponsored in part by Microsoft and the National Security Agency (NSA), competitors at Wicked6 are challenged to exhibit critical cyber defense skills that directly map to abilities that corporate recruiters seek to fill the growing number of IT security jobs. The top three finishers are as follows: 

• University of Colorado Boulder
• ECPI University
• University of Central Florida 

ECPI University Defeated 25 Competing Schools to Advance

Columbia, SC – Members of the Columbia campus’ Cybersecurity Team have earned a spot in the national finals of the Wicked6 Cyber Games in Las Vegas on August 8 at the HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas at the Luxor Hotel and Casino. The team, made up of Cyber and Network Security students Franklin Pearson, Earl Knorr, Wendi Jonkers, Jason Simmons, Kevin Richards, and Coach Chris Flanery, will compete in a contest designed to simulate industry-specific cyber-attack scenarios. 

“We are proud of our cybersecurity team of students and their accomplishment as national finalists,” says ECPI University Columbia Campus President James R. Rund. “With Cybersecurity Ventures projecting 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2021, ECPI University is preparing graduates for the job sector of the future.  Competition and hands-on training is one way we help our students prepare for their future careers.”

Virginia Beach, VA – ECPI University is proud to announce that the HP and its OMEN line of gaming PCs have been named an official partner of the ECPI University Rams Collegiate eSports team, making it the exclusive provider of gaming PCs for all of the ECPI University eSports arenas.  

The ECPI University Rams eSports teams compete across a variety of games throughout the year, including Overwatch, League of Legends, Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Hearthstone, and Rocket League. The “battle arenas” that the players compete in are the located on the campuses and are outfitted with high-end gaming PCs that support all of the games the Rams compete in.

Will Compete Nationwide in World’s Fastest Growing Sport

Richmond, VA – ECPI University is proud to announce it is expanding its eSports team to include all Richmond campus locations. Competing as the ECPI University Rams, the University’s Virginia Beach and Newport News campuses were among the first schools to join the National Association of Collegiate eSports (NACE) and now competes against more than 130 colleges and universities across the nation. 

Signing day for Richmond students is scheduled for Friday, May 31 at 10:00 am at the Richmond/Innsbrook campus, located at 4305 Cox Road in Glen Allen. Twenty-one students will receive scholarships of between $1,600 and $3,200 with the potential to earn an additional $5,000 if they make the playoffs in the national tournament. 

“ECPI University has a longstanding tradition of leading the way locally and nationally for non-traditional learning and success,” says ECPI University Athletic Director Mike Glover. “eSports is growing fast, and this is something our students are telling us that they want as a part of their college experience.” 

For those unfamiliar with the eSports phenomena, it is developing at an exponential rate. No longer confined to local banquet halls, these events are now full-blown spectator sports, selling out venues like Madison Square Garden and Staples Center. And experts say this is just the beginning. 

Not long ago, The Wall Street Journal reported that eSports revenue will reach $1.5 billion by 2020. Moreover, the Philadelphia 76ers recently purchased the UK-based professional team, DIGNITAS. There’s even efforts underway to make eSports part of the Olympics.

Lake Mary, FL – It would be difficult to overstate the looming cybersecurity crisis. As attacks continue to escalate, there are simply not enough skilled professionals available to fight back. According to a recent report conducted by (ISC)²: 

• The shortage of cybersecurity professionals is now close to 3 million globally
• 63% of respondents report their employer has a shortage of dedicated cybersecurity staff
• 59% say their organization is at extreme or moderate risk due to cybersecurity staff shortages 

Many of the applicants for cybersecurity positions lack foundational information, technical knowledge, and people skills. In essence, there are two different issues. One, applicants who are self-taught and tech savvy does not have the skills to address the major issues businesses face. Two, higher education curriculums typically follow a traditional approach, where education is based on a teaching-oriented environment full of theories, which may lack real-world applicability. 

“Many companies lack the time and resources to provide training in the actual skills required to defend against attacks,” says ECPI University Lake Mary Campus President Mr. Michael Fontaine. “Employers are looking for applicants who are job-ready.” 

SC’s Largest Professional Job Fair Draws More Than 100 Employers 

Newport News, VA – ECPI University is pleased to announce that it has signed an articulation agreement with Thomas Nelson Community College (TNCC) that provides TNCC Information Technology graduates automatic admission into ECPI University's Bachelor of Science degree program in Computer Information Science with a major in Cyber and Network Security.

Lake Mary, FL – Patrick Craven, director of the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, formerly the (ISC)² Foundation, has joined the Cyber and Network Security Program Advisory Council at ECPI University’s Lake Mary campus. Every ECPI University campus maintains a group of local advisors who meet twice yearly to review curriculum and make recommendations. This helps the University to ensure that all of its programs meet the precise needs of the employers that hire its graduates.

First Classes Begin April 1

Greenville, SC – ECPI University is pleased to announce it has been approved by the South Carolina Board of Nursing to expand its Greenville campus’ nursing program to include an Associate Degree of Nursing (RN). Already one of the nation’s largest educators of nurses, ECPI University is offering this program to address South Carolina’s looming nursing shortage. 

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Center for Health Workforce Analysis for 2014-2030 projects that seven states will have nurse shortages by 2030, with South Carolina being one of four states projected to have shortages of more than 10,000 nurses. “Employers across the state are utilizing creative methods to entice nurses to work for them,” says ECPI University Greenville Campus Director of Nursing Patti Wentz.  “And many shifts go uncovered every day. We see this opportunity as one that will positively impact the local shortage of registered nurses and support the healthcare community in hiring qualified candidates to work in their facilities.” 

Summerville Native Looks to Help More Students Prepare for Careers in Business   

North Charleston, SC – ECPI University is proud to announce that business student Javon Talley has been elected Vice-President of South Carolina Phi Beta Lambda for 2019. “His hard work and perseverance has paid off as he embarks on a mission to expand participation in Phi Beta Lambda, not only at the Charleston campus, but also at each university in the state of South Carolina,” says Charleston Campus Director of Academic Affairs Ronald Neil. 

Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) is the largest career student business organization in the world, helping more than 230,000 members each year prepare for careers in business. PBL inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences.