April 4, 2023 • Volume 26, Issue 7 • Complimentary • BlufftonSun.com
INSIDE • Campbell Chapel AME Church hosts ‘Beloved’ art exhibit 14A • Groundbreaking, luncheon held for Ma Daisy’s Porch 20A • Nonprofit a source of ‘light’ for those with mental illness 22A • Bird caught in plastic rescued by citizens 25A • Events April 4-8 to mark 55th anniversary of MLK assassination 32A
USCB turns old schoolhouse into new cybersecurity classrooms By Gwyneth J. Saunders CONTRIBUTOR
Filled with computer work stations and racks of electronic gear, the former Bridges Preparatory School in Beaufort now sports an industrial-gray décor with wall-mounted large-screen monitors for use by cybersecurity students learning how to prevent cyberattacks. It’s the University of South Carolina Beaufort’s newest classroom, the result of the 2021 grant proposal that led to $1.3 million in funding. The grant came from the U.S. Department of Defense’s office of Local Defense Community and funded the renovation and equipment for the new cyber lab. A ribbon cutting was held March 20 for the new space at 1100 Boundary St. In remarks at the event, USCB Chancellor Al M. Panu credited Brian Canada, Department of Computer Science & Mathematics chair, with what he considered an apt description of the facility. “As you walk in there, there is something very cool about this industrial look. It reminds you of shows such as ‘24’ and ‘The Blacklist,’ and what it has in there,”
Kayaking AT THE MARITIME CENTER
Join a PRSF Naturalist for a 2-hour guided kayak tour!
310 Okatie Highway (843) 645-7774 PortRoyalSoundFoundation.org
Panu said. “I have to agree it was definitely wonderful to be able to find that analogy. It is absolutely fascinating.” Panu told the audience that cybersecurity will be a top priority for every company, and the cybersecurity industry is expected to grow by 44% in the next five years, requiring companies to hire cybersecurity professionals. “As you may be aware, USCB’s cybersecurity program presently exists in the form of a degree concentration within our baccalaureate program in Information Science and Technology,” he said at the ceremony. “While much of USCB’s cybersecurity curriculum can be supported by so-called ‘virtual lab’ software solutions that can be used by anyone with an internet connection, what makes this particular lab unique is the integration of specialized network security equipment that has been furnished to USCB by Fortinet.” Fortinet is a global cybersecurity company that provides a wide range of network security solutions for enterprises, service providers and government organizations. Panu said the company’s reputation for quality rivals such highly regarded security
Designed for all experience levels. Kayak provided.
$35 (ages 5-12) $50 (ages 13+) Scan here & click
PHOTOS BY GWYNETH J. SAUNDERS
Guests at the ribbon cutting for USCB’s new cybersecurity classroom got a preview of the technology that students will use to learn how to prevent cyberattacks.
solutions providers as Palo Alto Networks and CheckPoint. “Having this equipment available in the classroom provides our students with much more of a hands-on experience that goes far
beyond network security fundamentals and theory,” Panu added. “All of this technology and its use by our students is simultane-
Please see CYBER LABS on page 12A