MassBay Named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense

MassBay Community College cybersecurity faculty members pose with members of the Department of Defense (from left to right), Mark Gorak, Principal Director for Resources & Analysis, Office of the Chief Information Officer for the Department of Defense, Susanne Steiger-Escobar, Kara Lucciola, Tony Sena, Shamsi Moussavi,  and Dr. Diba Hadi, Principal Director, Cyber Academic Engagement Office, Department of Defense, while accepting MassBay’s CAE designation at the Cybersecurity Community Symposium in Charleston, SC, April 2025. (Photo/MassBay Community College)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Liz Cooper
781-540-1231
ecooper@massbay.edu

WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. (June 17, 2025) — MassBay Community College was recently recognized by the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C), earning the designation of a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD). MassBay is the first community college in Massachusetts and the fourth in New England to have earned the CAE-CD designation, which has only been awarded to 429 institutions of higher education nationwide.

The CAE-CD is bestowed on institutions that are deemed as instrumental in helping to reduce threats to the national infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense, as well as providing the nation with a pipeline of qualified cybersecurity professionals. The prestigious CAE-CD designation is awarded to regionally accredited academic institutions offering cybersecurity degrees and/or certificates at the associate, bachelor, and graduate levels.

“We are extremely proud, but not surprised, that our cybersecurity programs have been acknowledged with this prestigious designation,” said MassBay President David Podell. “Our cybersecurity programs are cutting-edge, and we have been educating the country’s future workforce to protect our privacy and the national cyber infrastructure for many years now. This designation is another confirmation that our cybersecurity programs stand among the highest quality anywhere.”

MassBay is the first and only institution of higher education in Massachusetts to offer an associate degree in cybersecurity. The CAE-CD is the second recognition MassBay’s cybersecurity programs have received by the U.S. Government in the past year. In August 2023, MassBay’s was deemed a model program by the White House during the release of the Biden-Harris Administration’s National Cyber Workforce and Education Strategy.

Founded in 2013 as a certificate in cybersecurity, MassBay’s cybersecurity programs have been expanded to include a certificate in advanced cybersecurity and an associate degree in cybersecurity. The programs recently earned two significant grants to enhance the educational reach and capacity. In 2021, MassBay received a National Science Foundation (NSF) Advanced Technology Education (ATE) grant entitled AttrACTing the Next Generation Cybersecurity Workforce (ACT) in the amount of $598,712. The ACT grant funds were devoted to diversifying the cybersecurity field by recruiting, retaining, and graduating underrepresented and especially women in MassBay’s cybersecurity programs. In the fall of 2023, the College was awarded $804,162 from the Healey-Driscoll Administration as part of their $1.4 million investment to increase cyber training in Massachusetts. These funds enabled MassBay to open a cyber range, a state-of-the-art virtual environment, enabling users to hone their skills by detecting, intercepting, and defending against simulated cyber-crimes.

“MassBay Community College continues to lead the way in preparing Massachusetts students for the jobs of the future. As the first community college in Massachusetts to be named a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, MassBay is not only training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals — it’s strengthening our workforce, our economy, and our national security,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Our administration is proud to invest in programs like these that open doors for students, expand opportunity, and protect the digital infrastructure we all rely on.”

“During STEM Week, I had the opportunity to visit MassBay and see firsthand the College’s state-of-the-art cyber range in action — and I was blown away. This designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense confirms what I saw that day: MassBay is doing truly exceptional work to prepare students for one of the most urgent and fast-growing fields of our time,” said Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler. “By expanding access to cutting-edge cybersecurity education and creating real career pathways for students from all backgrounds, MassBay is helping to build a safer, stronger, and more inclusive future for Massachusetts.”

“MassBay’s national recognition as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense is the result of years of hard work—and a powerful example of how investments in community colleges are paying off,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka [D-Ashland]. “This prestigious designation affirms that students at MassBay are gaining the in-demand, cutting-edge skills that grow salaries, launch careers, and strengthen our workforce right here in Massachusetts. Congratulations to President Podell, Provost Jackson, and the dedicated faculty and staff of the Center for Cybersecurity Education on this remarkable achievement.”

“This national recognition underscores the vital role of public higher education in preparing students for critical fields like cybersecurity”, said Senator Cynthia Stone Creem [D-Newton]. “MassBay’s achievement as the first community college in the state to receive this designation is a testament to the impact of forward-thinking programs that strengthen both our workforce and our national resilience.”

“The commitment demonstrated by MassBay to developing a highly skilled workforce dedicated to safeguarding both personal privacy and national cybersecurity is truly deserving of this recognition,” said Representative Alice Hanlon Peisch [D-Wellesley]. “Both faculty and students should take great pride in their efforts. This designation by the National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity reaffirms the significant value and impact of this program.”

MassBay’s cybersecurity programs feature three outstanding faculty: Shamsi Moussavi, Computer Science Professor, lead Cybersecurity Programs curriculum developer, and Director of the MassBay Center for Cybersecurity Education; Tony Sena, Professor and Chair of the Computer Science department; and Kara Lucciola, J.D., Professor of Legal Studies and Criminal Justice, specializing in cyber law and cybercrime, and Coordinator of the Cyber Innovation Initiative.

“Cybersecurity impacts all citizens on a daily basis, making it vital that we have an educated workforce ready to protect us,” said Professor Moussavi. “The investments MassBay has made in cybersecurity has ensured students will receive the skills and knowledge they need to launch careers in the constantly evolving, complex cybersecurity industry. And, in doing so, they will have a direct impact on the future of our national security and the stability of our economy.”

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MassBay Community College cybersecurity faculty members (from left to right), Susanne Steiger-Escobar, Shamsi Moussavi, Kara Lucciola, and Tony Sena accepts MassBay’s CAE designation at the Cybersecurity Community Symposium in Charleston, SC, April 2025 (Photo/ MassBay Community College)

MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston and is free to most Massachusetts residents without a bachelor’s degree. With more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs, along with comprehensive workforce and educational training, MassBay provides a wide range of courses with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Wellesley, Framingham, the Automotive Technology Center in Ashland, and online, in high-demand fields including health and life sciences, computer science, engineering, cybersecurity, business, and the humanities. MassBay students receive unparalleled value, with free one-on-one academic and social support services, compassionate and experienced faculty, and stackable credits that easily transfer to bachelor’s degree programs and that provide hands-on, workforce-ready skills. Health sciences, human services, early childhood education, and many general education programs are offered at the 65,000 square foot, state-of-the-art MassBay Framingham, which has served the community since January 2024. Founded in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by multiple governing bodies and remains dedicated to serving its diverse communities, fostering inclusiveness, and advancing equity for all.