STC 4th annual Hackathon introduces students to technological ‘tsunami’ for communities

MCALLEN, TEXAS – South Texas College’s Cybersecurity program recently celebrated its signature Hackathon event created to inspire students and educate them about cybersecurity and related professions.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month nationwide, and the program at STC in partnership with Region One ESC recently held its 4th annual cybersecurity-focused Hackathon event, which enabled more than 65 students from at least five different school districts in the region to participate in the hands-on event.

School districts in attendance included students from Pharr, San Juan, Alamo (PSJA) Independent School District, South Texas Independent School District, Roma Independent School District and Rio Grande City Grulla Independent School District.

The Hackathon was comprised of workshops led by STC faculty in partnership with those in the industry, which oversaw a variety of activities including a capture the flag event called “Operation Flag Hunt,” as well as a simulating hacking competition.

STC Dean of Math, Science, Information Technology (IT) and Bachelor programs Ali Esmaeili, Ed.D., made opening remarks for students and encouraged them to be prepared for a “tsunami of technology that is transforming communities.

“We have to prepare our students for this new technology surge and cybersecurity is at the forefront of it. There is a lot of need for experts in this field. That’s what our Hackathon event is all about,” Esmaeili said. “We hope events like these get students excited about this field. We have the expert faculty here who go step-by-step to create this excitement. We want them to analyze it, interpret it and then think logically to encourage their transition into this exciting field of cybersecurity.” n

Nicholas Hinojosa, STC assistant professor of Computer Science, was on hand to speak to students about the Cybersecurity program, which recently secured a $467,000 Advanced Technological Education (ATE) grant from the National Science Foundation to create the Rio Grande Valley’s first Cybersecurity Clinic.

The three-year grant awarded by the U.S. Government’s independent science agency, will provide STC with the funds to help local small businesses, free of charge, establish a secure networking infrastructure that will keep their company and customer data safe, while providing students with crucial real-world experience.

“Cybersecurity is all about working with individuals and helping them think about their security and how they can protect themselves against a cyberattack,” Hinojosa said. “The organizations that are here working with the students are also giving them the guidance necessary to continue to learn. The students here are the future professionals who will be responsible for their employees and customers’ most sensitive data.”

Noah Gonzalez, 17, and a senior at PSJA Southwest was a participant in STC’s Hackathon. Gonzalez said he plans to enter the United States Air Force after high school and then enter a career working in law enforcement for the government.

Learning Cybersecurity is essential no matter what career field you choose, Gonzalez said.

“These days with Artificial Intelligence, we have a lot of bad things that are out there that can harm devices and access people data,” Gonzalez said. “I believe it’s important for everyone to have at least a good understanding of cyber knowledge so you can protect yourself and others.”

For more information about STC’s Cybersecurity program visit www.southtexascollege.edu/academics/cybersecurity/.