Central Adds Cybersecurity Degree

Univeristy Adds Cybersecurity Degree Available as Major or Minor

One of the newest offerings in the available as a major and minor, and that makes Central Methodist University it even more flexible for our students.” program list is one well-suited As a major, cybersecurity is intended to today’s increasingly online society: to prepare students for employment Cybersecurity. As one of the in corporations and fastest-growing industries government intelligence of the modern world, branches playing different cybersecurity jobs are in security roles. Studies high demand, with more in cybersecurity include than 8,000 openings in network essentials, Missouri and half a million law, risk compliance, throughout the country, operations, incident according to Cyber Seek. response, and forensics.

Offered as a web- Majors will receive based program for on- theoretical training classes campus students, majors in and obtain practical, cybersecurity will be able to hands-on experience take full advantage of both through exercises and the online program and the research. Fayette campus experience. Part of what makes Adding this major to CMU’s tAno Mateu the CMU program unique online catalog will not only is that the school has open those doors to students, but it is also partnered with every community college in expected to prop up other programs as well. the state to allow students to transfer credits

“Bringing cybersecurity to CMU was from their institutions upon joining the important to make our criminal justice and program. Students who have already begun computer science programs stronger,” said studies in computer science, criminal justice, tAno Mateu, CMU’s cybersecurity program networking, and cybersecurity will be able to director and lead instructor. “Cybersecurity is finish their degrees online with CMU.

Additionally, the program will provide the type of hands-on learning experience synonymous with Central Methodist. Advanced classes in the major will have the opportunity to take advantage of labs and other resources in the government’s cybersecurity realm, including the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) Labs.

For Mateu, and CMU Provost Dr. Rita Gulstad, bringing the cybersecurity program to Central has been a long but worthwhile endeavor.

“It’s been a fun ride,” Mateu said. “A couple of years ago when I started my master’s in cyber and information security, I envisioned bringing cybersecurity to CMU. It’s been a long process. I designed the study plan with learning outcomes and, once approved, I started designing the courses online. After working with our provost and her fantastic team, the cybersecurity program is ready to enroll students and benefit our current criminal justice and computer science programs.”

To learn more about the cybersecurity degree, visit the program page on the CMU website or like the Facebook page.

Enrollment Continues To Climb

Central Methodist University is celebrating record enrollment metrics for the third consecutive year. University officials say that four CMU enrollment records were shattered this fall – total enrollment on the main campus, freshman class size, residential population, and new students.

There were 1,170 traditional undergraduate students enrolled this fall – up two percent; 361 freshmen, up seven percent; 821 students living on campus, up five percent; and a new record of 469 new students.

“The bottom line is we have a great product,” said Dr. Roger Drake, CMU president. “Students love the quality of our education, the faculty engagement, and the beautiful campus.”

Besides overall student satisfaction with the product at CMU, Dr. Joe Parisi, vice president for enrollment management, said other big factors in Central’s growth include the Digital U initiative that provides iPads to all Fayette campus students and the institution’s commitment to safety during the pandemic – investing in COVID-19 testing for all students, ionization air cleaners for buildings, facial recognition software, expanded cleaning, and expanded staffing.

“Adaptability is key right now,” Parisi said. “Not only have we had to adapt over and over again to engineer this class, but our students, faculty, and staff are having to adapt constantly. It’s the society we are in now.”

Parisi said Central’s strategic enrollment planning has been well-executed over the past three years, and the institution builds upon the prior year’s success.

“I am so proud of this community and its dedication to our enrollment planning efforts,” he stated. “This is a huge #Central Victory!”

As Museum Director, Shutt Encourages Learning Hard Truths

In her 2017 Gaddis Lecture, Central about them and making a difference in trying museum for the Howard County Historical Methodist University alumna to push the needle forward.” Society. The project ultimately never came Christina Shutt, ’08, Shutt by no means to fruition, but the lessons learned and the emphasized the need to thinks that the work work put in were not for nothing, and Shutt learn some of the harder is done now that more says getting to know the local history of the truths of race in American people are rethinking area is still one of the first steps students at history. what it means to talk CMU can take in becoming equipped in a

Three years later, a about our past, but many fight for equality and justice. national movement in believe this summer was Other advice she has for the social justicesupport of Black lives an important step in the minded includes getting involved on campus has sparked an even direction toward real with a wide variety of people, as well as wider call for that sort of change. speaking out “when people do things that education, and the 2008 “I often say that if you know are oppressive.” CMU grad says it’s making you don’t experience “As [Martin Luther] King would say, our a difference. oppression, it might be lives begin to end when we become silent

“I definitely think because your belly is about the things that matter,” Shutt said, there’s more of an interest too full of privilege,” paraphrasing the civil rights leader. “Stop in wanting to talk said Shutt. “You’re not being silent about the things that matter and about those things and hungry for justice. demand better, demand something more.” incorporating those hard And so we have to get What it all comes down to, though, is truths and difficult history Christina Shutt hungry for justice in our making sure we recognize as individuals and into museum exhibits in communities.” institutions the ways we’ve failed in the past. ways we haven’t seen before,” said Shutt, Even as a student at Central, Shutt was “The only way we’ll get hungry for justice who in her own right is the director of the interested in engaging with the history of is if we continue to see injustice and allow it Mosaic Templars Cultural Center, a museum her community. She and her mentor, Dr. to move us,” said Shutt. in Little Rock, Ark. “You have people talking Bob Wiegers, worked together to design a