Nash Community College continues to expand its cybersecurity education efforts through its National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education (NSF-ATE) grant, marking significant progress as the college closes Year one and enters Year two of the project.
The multi-year grant, which supports the development of the Nighthawk Cyber Alliance, focuses on building regional cybersecurity awareness, strengthening workforce readiness, and enhancing digital literacy across multiple academic disciplines.
Year One Accomplishments: Launch of Cyber Safety Modules and Student Badge Pathway
During the first year of the grant, NCC’s Information Technology faculty designed and implemented a series of cyber safety learning modules that were embedded into six information technology courses beginning in Fall 2025. These modules teach essential skills threat detection and incident response, data protection and secure access management, safe online behaviors and network security fundamentals.
Students who successfully complete all six modules will be recognized at graduation with a Cybersecurity Badge, a credential they can pair with their academic degree.
- 92 students enrolled in Fall 2025 courses that included at least one of the new cybersecurity modules.
- Many students are completing multiple courses containing embedded modules, accelerating progress toward badge completion.
- NCC anticipates the first group of students earning the Cybersecurity Badge as early as May 2026.
The new modules enhance learning for students across several NCC programs, including:
- Information Systems
- Network Management
- Cybersecurity
- Gaming
- Medical Office Administration
- Office Management
- Business Administration
“This first year has shown strong student engagement and clear interest in cyber safety,” said Nakisha Floyd, department chair of business and information technologies and the Principal Investigator for the NSF-ATE grant at NCC. “The badge prepares students for modern workforce expectations, no matter their major.”
Year Two Focus: Expanding Cyber Safety Beyond IT
As the project moves into Year two, NCC is expanding its cyber safety initiative campus-wide. Non-IT faculty are now developing discipline-specific cyber safety modules that will embed timely, real-world cybersecurity scenarios and digital literacy concepts directly into their courses.
Faculty representing multiple academic areas are participating, including:
- Criminal Justice
- Graphic Design
- Political Science
- Early Childhood Education
- Accounting and Finance
- Biology
- Advanced Manufacturing
This cross-disciplinary approach ensures that students in both technical and non-technical programs gain practical understanding of cybersecurity issues that impact everyday life, the workplace, and society.
NCC Shares Grant Innovations on the National Stage
Floyd recently attended the 2025 ATE Principal Investigators Conference in Washington, D.C., joining more than 850 educators, researchers, industry leaders and project partners from across the nation. The annual conference highlights advancements in technical education, with representation from community colleges, universities, secondary schools, and business and industry.
While at the conference, Floyd hosted an ATE Connects Conversation Hub, sharing NCC’s cyber safety module model and grant outcomes with attendees across the ATE community. The Conversation Hub serves as a key opportunity for projects and centers to network, exchange resources and collaborate on strengthening advanced technological education nationwide.
“The NSF-ATE Principal Investigators Conference is all about synergy,” said Floyd. “It brings educators together to exchange ideas and draw inspiration from the amazing work happening in technical education across the country. Together, we strengthen our programs, expand opportunities for students, and return to our campuses with fresh ideas to keep technical education moving forward.”
For more information about NCC’s Nighthawk Cyber Alliance or the NSF-ATE project, contact Nakisha Floyd at 252-451-8299 or nwfloyd583@nashcc.edu.
