Kansas senator announces $750,000 educational grant to help with cybersecurity

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran announced a $750,000 educational grant Friday at Friends University.

The dollars will go toward scholarships, technology and equipment within the cybersecurity program at Friends University. Butler Community College students will also be eligible for cybersecurity scholarships to get their associate’s degree. Those degrees can then transfer over to Friends for students to pursue a bachelor’s degree.

Moran, a Kansas Republican, called the cybersecurity field a noble cause.

“Our country’s adversaries are out and about to do great harm and damage to our economy, our defense capabilities and we need to make sure we have the ability to ... deflect those kinds of attacks,” he said.

There are more than 6,500 open cybersecurity jobs in Kansas and 714,000 nationwide, according to CyberSeek.

During the announcement, attended by more than 30 people, Friends University president Dr. Amy Bragg Carey said the federal dollars were part of $1 million in grant funding the university got for improvements at the Olive White Garvey Business & Technology Building.

Those dollars have also helped add a Bloomberg terminal that provides real-time financial data, a connective classroom for learning and new technology for a podcast room.