Claflin University has been engaging in cybersecurity workforce development and outreach through their membership in the NNSA Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program (MSIPP) Consortium Enabling Cybersecurity Opportunities and Research (CECOR) program. As a consortium member, Claflin has increased the commitment to matriculating minority student populations to computing and cybersecurity fundamentals through curriculum enhancements as well as developing programming to engage local K-12 rural student populations in activities to promote and excite them about STEM careers. The program organizes events such as the yearly Fall Code Day event and the Spring Hackathon have been hosted to engage students in programming, web and security challenge activities, as well as supports the development of programs to engage students in learning activities focused on STEM skills and cybersecurity.
Through the support of the DOE MSIPP CECOR program, Claflin has also established the CU Life Educational Research Program, which seeks to investigate methods that will increase the interest in computing and cybersecurity academic programs and careers among minority elementary, middle, and high school students, as well as increase preparedness for academic programs and training opportunities. The CU Life program is directed by Claflin faculty members Dr. Deidra Morrison an Assistant Professor of Computer Science, and Dr. Michiko McClary an Assistant Professor for STEM Education. Programming and research efforts also include student interns who are current undergraduate students studying Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Math Education, and other STEM Education emphases. The most recent program to be instituted is the Cyber Learning partnership with the Renaissance Learners program, directed by Mrs. Yolanda Bennett. The selected students in the Renaissance Learners program are 6th grade level attendees of Robert E. Howard Middle School, in Orangeburg, SC. In its first year, the Renaissance Learners program targets a higher ability group of mixed gender individuals who were selected for participation based on gifted and talented scoring, MAP performance, and leadership abilities. This partnership is an extension of the relationship established through the work of Ms. Kay Brown, Owner of STEAME Logic LLC, who is the K-12 Coordinator for the NNSA MSIPP CECOR program. Ms. Brown has fostered many relationships with schools in from the Midlands to the Lowcountry area.
As part of programming, Claflin University coordinates bi-monthly “field days” on the 1st and 3rd Thursday’s of each month, giving students hands-on experience with computer science and cybersecurity basics, as well as promoting problem solving and mathematics skillsets. During field days students are engaged in custom-made lesson plans, developed and facilitated by Claflin University CU Life student interns, that align with South Carolina Computer Science Education Standards for 6th grade students. The students are engaged in activities that focus on data gathering and graphing with 3 legged races, basic understanding of cyberwarfare, modeling packets traveling across internet connections, and problem solving and programming logic. The students were also introduced to cyber challenge competition with the assistance of research scientist partners at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), who host the yearly middle school focused National Science Bowl sponsored by the Office of Science.
The Cyber Learning program has resulted in some marked increases in student interest in computing, and more specifically cybersecurity, during their engagement in lessons and activities. During the parting session, the Howard Middle students remarked on how they enjoyed computer science, and the ability to learn programming. Claflin intends to continue to develop these partnerships with other local schools so that more students can be impacted. The support of NNSA has been an essential driver of this effort and has increased the capacity of Claflin University significantly as it continues to reach out to the community partners.Page Break
