N.C. A&T’s Computer Science Department Enriched by Cisco Partnership

(Stock footage from Fall 2019) Students collaborate on coding in the cybersecurity lab, a state-of-the-art computer lab for the computer science department at North Carolina A&T.

EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (Feb. 11, 2021) – The College of Engineering (COE) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University joins multiple regional universities in announcing Cisco’s commitment to strengthen computer science participation, enrollment and engagement, especially within the cybersecurity discipline.

The partnership between COE and Cisco supports activities aligned with the college’s cybersecurity, data science and Internet of Things (IoT) research. Additionally, Cisco continues to invest in the academic success of the college’s students by supporting undergraduate scholarships and targeted initiatives including hackathons, participation in the annual Women in Cybersecurity Conference, and coding-related instruction.

“The College of Engineering is enriched by companies like Cisco, as the partnership enables us to realize our vision of cultivating tomorrow’s engineering and computer science leaders,” said Tamera Ziglar, COE’s director of corporate engagement. “We have watched the relationship with Cisco blossom over the past few years into one that affords both organizations the ability to leverage our unique strengths, talents and research capabilities.”

“Cybersecurity is a team sport. When a community rises, we all rise,” said Anthony Grieco, vice president and trust strategy officer for Cisco. “We are honored to support these important programs, ensuring that the next generation of talent has cybersecurity expertise and is a priority for all.”

The gift comes at a time when the computer science and cybersecurity industries are seeing a rise in demand for talent. These partnerships not only foster enhanced learning opportunities, but networking engagements as well.

As the nation’s largest public historically Black university and the No. 1 producer of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees awarded to African American engineers and computer scientists in the nation, the COE at A&T plays a critical role in contributing to the STEM workforce.