SPRINGFIELD — Celebrating Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October, the Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence will join the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center’s (MASBDC) Western Regional Office to present an online workshop titled “Securing your Business: Keeping the Hackers at Bay and Your Security Intact.”

The workshop is the first event to be held at the Neal Cybersecurity of Excellence, which officially opened in September. The public can watch the free event online on Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Visit stcc.io/cyberevent to register and find out more information.

“We are excited to host our first event and partner with MASBDC,” said Gene Kingsley, cyber range manager at the Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence and one of the speakers. “The workshop will focus on helping businesses protect themselves against ever-evolving cybersecurity threats.”

STCC Vice President and Chief Information Officer Mary Kaselouskas added that “this is exactly why the Neal Cybersecurity Center was established: to provide education, resources, and support to the community as we work together to safeguard our digital infrastructure.”

The workshop will delve into the critical aspects of protecting a business from cyber threats. Speakers will explore industry-standard frameworks that provide robust guidelines for safeguarding a business owner’s digital assets.

In addition to Kingsley, guest speakers include Det. Lt. Brian Gavioli, unit commander for the Criminal Information Section and overseer of the Commonwealth Fusion Center’s Massachusetts Cybersecurity Program; Larry Wilson, a current cybersecurity consultant and instructor and former chief Information Security officer at UMass, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Sumitomo Pharma Americas; Andrew Zawada, owner of Zawada Insurance in Worcester; and Rob DelMastro, director of the MASBDC Western Regional Office.

Topics include current cyber threats targeting businesses in this area, the benefits of having a cyber insurance policy, and practical steps a business owner can take to enhance their business’s cybersecurity posture. The goal of the workshop is to equip attendees with the knowledge and tools to better protect their business from cyber threats.

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.

From left, STCC President John Cook, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, Springfield Redevelopment Authority Chair Armando Feliciano, and CyberTrust Massachusetts CEO Peter Sherlock.

SPRINGFIELD — At a construction project walk-through on March 26, regional leaders unveiled a name for the cybersecurity center at Union Station: the Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.

Announced by a group that included STCC President John Cook and Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, the name honors Neal and his commitment to leading-edge cybersecurity education and the betterment of Union Station. Neal, who provided a tour of the center currently under construction, led a funding effort in 2023 that resulted in $3 million of congressionally directed spending to establish the center.

“This is a great honor, one that I am particularly proud of, knowing that this Cybersecurity Center for Excellence will have a profound impact on local students for years to come,” Neal said. “This project marks several noteworthy feats for our region. As one of just two cybersecurity centers in the state, this technological hub will invest in the brightest young minds in our region, giving them the resources needed to learn how to combat these threats, and shoring up the resiliency of our cybersecurity in Western Massachusetts.

“With the opening of the Cybersecurity Center for Excellence, we are also celebrating a historic milestone in this historic building: 100% occupancy of Union Station’s main concourse,” Neal went on. “Springfield Union Station has re-established the city of Springfield as the crossroads of New England, and it will soon serve as home to a state-of-the-art cybersecurity training center that will greatly benefit our region.”

The center also is supported by a $1.46 million state grant and $500,000 from the city of Springfield. It is one of two such centers to be established in the state. The other is situated at Bridgewater State University.

The Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in Springfield, scheduled to open later this year, will serve as a hub for advancing cybersecurity awareness, education, and innovation while battling global security threats. The 6,000-square-foot facility will include a cyber range, which is a simulated training environment, and a security operations center, which is envisioned as a support service for Massachusetts municipalities, as well as regional businesses, to detect cybersecurity events in real time and respond quickly.

“Once a mayor, always the heart of a mayor, Congressman Richard Neal continues to provide exemplary leadership on behalf of our city of Springfield and Union Station — the house that Neal built,” Sarno said.

The facility will serve as a regional center for Western Mass. and beyond, and is a collaboration between STCC, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, and CyberTrust Massachusetts.

“Under the leadership of Congressman Neal, the collaboration of government, business, and higher-education leaders in Western Massachusetts has been critical to our statewide initiative to grow and diversify the cyber workforce and address the security needs of the region’s cities, towns, nonprofits, and businesses,” CyberTrust CEO Peter Sherlock said. “With its state-of-the-art cyber range, educational facilities, and security operations center, this cyber center of excellence is a world-class resource to serve the region’s people and institutions.”

Students who train at the the center will have access to paid internships in preparation for employment, where they would work with professionals to confront cybersecurity threats, a growing global problem. The cybersecurity industry needs more trained professionals to help prevent incursions and defeat security threats, and the new center will help fill the demand.

Cook continued to express his appreciation as well as enthusiasm, given the center’s alignment with STCC’s mission of accessible and dynamic education and workforce development.

“Congressman Neal has long been a supporter of STCC, of Springfield, and our regional needs,” he said. “We are grateful for his dedication to driving innovation and excellence in cybersecurity, and for leading the collaboration that is making this center a reality.”

The Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence will offer a wide range of programs and resources, including but not limited to cutting-edge cyber range training, internships and industry partnerships that build experience and career networks, research opportunities that establish best practices combined with emerging technologies, and community outreach and education forums to raise awareness about cybersecurity risks and solutions.

The center will also work to ensure access for underrepresented communities into the industry, with a particular effort to draw women and students of color to the field. STCC’s programs, including degrees in cybersecurity, programming, and computer systems engineering, represent more than 200 students who could train at the CCE as part of their degree or certificate.