Michael Pry is finally seeing the outcome of a goal he has worked toward for four years.

The University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg information technology instructor said the Hempfield campus cybersecurity program has been recognized by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security.

Pitt-Greensburg joins at least 494 colleges and universities named National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity Education, according to the National Security Agency’s website.

Employment of information security analysts is projected to grow 29% from 2024 to 2034, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is “much faster than the average for all occupations,” the bureau reports in its Occupational Outlook Handbook.

An average of 16,000 information security analyst jobs are expected to open each year through 2034, according to the bureau — many of which are projected to result from retirements and occupation changes.

That’s part of the reason Pitt-Greensburg junior Alec Rhoades was drawn to pursue a cybersecurity degree.

“It’s a really interesting and tactical field and it’s probably going to be — over the next few years — one of the most in-demand fields, especially with AI technologies,” said Rhoades, 20, of Latrobe.

Cybersecurity employment is only expected to grow statewide, as the Trump administration touted this year more than $70 billion in investments in Pennsylvania’s energy and artificial intelligence sectors.

Homer City Generation LP has proposed a natural gas-fired power plant that would help run data processing centers — which would require the expertise of cybersecurity professionals, Pry said.

“That’s a lot of jobs being added,” Pry said, “but the interesting thing is those jobs aren’t at the entry level. They’re more in the middle level, where you have more experience.”

There are at least seven other Western Pennsylvania schools with this accreditation — including Slippery Rock, Saint Vincent, Robert Morris, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Community College of Allegheny County and Carnegie Mellon University.

Pry, who has worked full-time at Pitt-Greensburg since 2020, advocated for the university to acquire the accreditation he learned about while pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Maryland.

To receive the recognition, the university adapted its information technology curriculum in 2021 into a cybersecurity program. It restructured classes, created new courses and added hands-on learning experiences to the curriculum to meet the National Security Agency’s educational standards.

Pry also led the creation of an information technology club and honors society, where students learn from guest speakers, attend information security symposiums and tour local employers.

Students also are required to complete a 150-hour internship and have the opportunity to earn up to six certificates — covering topics such as operating systems, computer networking and ethical hacking.

“We think that’s really strong,” Pry said.

For the past three years, Pry has gathered data on his students’ performance and career outcomes to help the university apply for the national recognition.

“It’s so rewarding,” Pry said. “It really is fantastic to be able to see where these opportunities lead our students.”

Pry is confident in Pitt-Greensburg’s ability to prepare students for mid-level jobs upon graduation — particularly through the cybersecurity internship program.

“It gets their foot in the door and it gives them that opportunity to start learning the tools of cybersecurity, different software products that companies use for cybersecurity,” he said.

“They’re not just learning foundational items. They’re learning the actual technical (experience).”

Program ‘empowers them to grow their career’

Hands-on learning through virtual labs is what junior JJ McNamara most appreciates about the university’s cybersecurity program.

“I’ve enjoyed it,” she said. “A lot of it is hands-on labs, virtual labs, so you can experience setting up protections on different computers — Linux, Windows.”

McNamara, 25, of Greensburg, has learned how to rewire a computer, enact incidence response plans and set up servers for organizations such as school districts and financial companies.

Junior Jack Weinhofer said he was drawn to the cybersecurity program for the array of careers it could be applied to.

“I just found technology interesting and I figured this is a really broad degree,” said Weinhofer, 20, of Madison. “It can fit into most places pretty easily.”

Pry’s students have gone on to fill cybersecurity roles in local hospitals and school districts, the military, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Secret Service. He takes pride in watching their careers unfold on networking platform LinkedIn.

“You get to watch their career grow as time goes on,” he said. “What they’ve learned here empowers them to grow their career. It gets them ready to move into whatever role.”

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