West Virginia Executive Summer 2025 | Page 76

Fairmont State University

Fairmont State University is preparing students to tackle complex cybersecurity challenges through an approach that blends advanced coursework, artificial intelligence( AI) applications and close industry partnerships.

At the undergraduate level, students build a foundation through data analytics and business intelligence courses that provide in-depth instruction on AI, machine learning and deep learning.

“ These foundational skills are then applied in the Master of Science in Cybersecurity & Risk Management program, where students leverage AI and machine learning techniques to enhance cyber threat intelligence,” says Robert G. Cutlip, Ph. D., director of Master of Science in Cybersecurity & Risk Management, Graduate Studies and Cybersecurity and Data Analytics programs, College of Business & Aviation at Fairmont State.

Graduate-level coursework incorporates these skills into real-world cybersecurity applications, including anomaly detection, phishing identification, natural language processing and neural network modeling.

“ This integrated approach prepares students to use cuttingedge technologies to identify and mitigate evolving cyber threats,” says Cutlip.

Fairmont State stays current with the evolving cybersecurity landscape through guidance from its Industry Advisory

Board, which includes professionals from private industry, state and federal government as well as national laboratories. Additionally, the master’ s program integrates real-world experience through a mandatory, two-semester, hands-on project.

“ Students collaborate with an industry sponsor to gather requirements and develop a formal project management plan,” Cutlip says.“ Students present their final deliverables to the course instructor, project sponsor and key stakeholders at the end of the spring term.”

Fairmont State students are also involved in a federally funded critical infrastructure analysis initiative. This U. S. Senate-directed program gives students the opportunity to use their skills working collaboratively with the Department of Defense, Department of Energy National Laboratories and Azimuth, Inc.

Mountwest Community & Technical College

Mountwest Community & Technical College prepares students for cybersecurity careers through a mix of classroom instruction, lab work and close partnerships with local industry leaders. The program offers classes focused on both the Microsoft and Cisco sides of network cybersecurity.

“ On the Microsoft side, students create and configure domains, virtual machines and Microsoft Exchange environments on real machines in the classroom and in

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