COLUMBIA – Members of ECPI University’s Columbia campus’ Cybersecurity Team have earned a spot in the national finals of the Wicked6 Cyber Games in Las Vegas on August 8 at the HyperX Esports Arena Las Vegas at the Luxor Hotel and Casino.
Wendi Jonkers, of Prosperity, is on the team
Along with Jonkers, the team, made up of Cyber and Network Security students: Franklin Pearson, Earl Knorr, Wendi Jonkers, Jason Simmons, Kevin Richards, and Coach Chris Flanery, will compete in a contest designed to simulate industry-specific cyber-attack scenarios.
“We are proud of our cybersecurity team of students and their accomplishment as national finalists,” says ECPI University Columbia Campus President James R. Rund. “With an estimated 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity jobs by 2021, ECPI University is preparing graduates for the job sector of the future. Competition and hands-on training is one way we help our students prepare for their future careers.”
Hosted by the Women’s Society of Cyberjutsu and sponsored in part by Microsoft and the National Security Agency (NSA), competitors at Wicked6 are challenged to exhibit critical cyber defense skills that directly map to abilities that corporate recruiters seek to fill the growing number of IT security jobs. ECPI University will be facing off against:
• California State University
• University of Central Florida
• University of Colorado Boulder
• University of Nevada, Reno
• University of North Carolina, Wilmington
Wicked6 is also a fundraising event, created to help advance women in cybersecurity careers by promoting hands-on training, networking, resource-sharing and other professional opportunities.