STCC, Partners Cut Ribbon for Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) leaders, dignitaries, and community and industry partners celebrated the grand opening of the Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence on Monday.

The state-of-the-art facility will be dedicated to advancing education and innovation in the field of cybersecurity and protecting against security threats.

The center, named in honor of U.S. Rep. Richard Neal for his commitment to leading-edge cybersecurity education and the betterment of Springfield Union Station, aims to be a cornerstone for training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by a host of guests, including Neal, STCC President John Cook, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) CEO Carolyn Kirk, CyberTrust Massachusetts CEO Peter Sherlock, and partners from the state Legislature, academia, and industry. The event showcased a regional commitment to addressing the growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals, as well as affordable cyber services and resiliency resources for municipalities, companies, and nonprofit organizations.

Neal led a funding effort in 2023 that resulted in $3 million in congressionally directed spending to establish the center, as well as an additional $2 million in state and local funding. The center is a collaboration between STCC, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, MassTech, and CyberTrust Massachusetts, and will serve as a regional nexus, giving students the resources to learn how to combat threats and strengthening the resiliency of cybersecurity in Western Mass.

“I’ve committed much of my career in public life to saving this building, securing tens of millions of dollars in federal funding to refurbish what is a pillar in Springfield’s downtown,” Neal said. “Now, 51 years after Union Station closed its doors, I am grateful to have a small piece of this building named in my honor — an honor that I never sought. Today is a great day for the city of Springfield, as we celebrate not only the opening of a cybersecurity center that will have a tremendous impact on our students and the regional economy, but also a milestone for this historic building: reaching 100% occupancy of the station’s main concourse level.”

Cook expressed his appreciation to Neal as well as state, local, and higher-education partners for taking the project from vision to reality. He noted that the cybersecurity center reflects STCC’s technical mission and reinforces high-value career skills that complement employers need.

“The opening of this center represents a significant step forward with a strategic plan that invites us to lead the educational ecosystem,” Cook said. “We are grateful for the public investment and proud to stand up a facility that will not only enhance the learning experience for students, but also contribute to continued economic development in Western Massachusetts.”

The Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence will serve as a regional center for Western Mass. and beyond, with programming that will also include information seminars and mini-conferences, as well as in-service training and simulation for current cyber professionals. The 6,000-square-foot facility includes a cyber range, a simulated cyber environment for student training and exercises; and a security operations center (SOC), which provides real-time detection and response to local municipalities and businesses.

The center is one of three SOC and/or cyber-range facilities in Massachusetts currently open and running that were established as part of the state’s Cyber Security Operations Center and Cyber Range Initiative. Another cyber range and SOC are based at Bridgewater State University, and a cyber range opened last fall at MassBay Community College. MassTech also recently awarded grant money to Salem State University to establish and operate a cyber range.

In addition to federal funding, additional support came from the state and city of Springfield. MassTech provided the initial $1.46 million through the MassCyberCenter.