By Alexander Fern / Assist. News Director

St. Cloud State University has been re-designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense through the academic year of 2027.

The National Security Agency says they launched the Center of Academic Excellence to help reduce threats to U.S. infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense by providing the nation with qualified cybersecurity professionals.

The designation at St. Cloud State University has earned 12 grants related to cybersecurity from the NSA, Department of Defense and the National Science Foundation totaling more than $4.7 million since 2009.

The program has been a designated program since 2009 and has led to many grants, a new forensics lab and many student scholarships.