The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock) officially opened its Cyberspace Operations Research and Education (CORE) Center on , marking a significant investment in cybersecurity education and workforce development for the state of Arkansas. The center, funded by a $1 million grant from Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin’s office, aims to expand hands-on learning opportunities, support advanced research, and prepare students for careers in the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape.
The establishment of the CORE Center comes as UA Little Rock demonstrates a growing commitment to cybersecurity education. The university graduated its first cohort from its undergraduate cybersecurity bachelor’s program last spring, and is now launching a master’s program this fall with specializations in artificial intelligence and offensive cyber operations. This expansion reflects the increasing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals.
“Cybersecurity is one of the most pressing challenges facing industries today, and it continues to grow more complex every day,” said UA Little Rock Chancellor Christina S. Drale at the dedication ceremony. “At UA Little Rock, we take seriously our responsibility to prepare students with the skills, training, and experience they need to make meaningful contributions in the workforce from day one. This investment allows us to expand access to high-quality cybersecurity education and better serve the needs of Arkansas.”
The CORE Center isn’t solely focused on academic pursuits. A key component is the CORE Cybersecurity Clinic, designed to provide practical support to the public and private sectors. This clinic will offer cybersecurity assessments and defense services to organizations that might not otherwise be able to afford them, including school systems, hospitals, and city services. The center houses a digital forensics lab, providing students and researchers with the opportunity to analyze digital evidence in support of law enforcement investigations.
Phillip Huff, associate professor of cybersecurity at UA Little Rock, highlighted the practical learning opportunities the center provides. “Our students have that as a learning opportunity,” Huff said. “We are looking to solve the problems of society, and those have become so much more challenging as we see our world become more interconnected and inundated with AI. And so it really takes a lot for us to prepare students coming in to have the skills that are needed, both to be valuable in the workforce, but also to have the skills that they can protect society from these advancing threats.”
The need for such a center is underscored by the increasing prevalence and sophistication of cyberattacks. Attorney General Tim Griffin emphasized the national security implications of cybersecurity, framing it as a critical area of competition. “We’ve got to beat the Chinese in this space,” Griffin stated at the dedication. “There’s an old saying: you may not be interested in politics, but politics is interested in you. Well, you may not be interested in this from a national security standpoint, but your life is going to be impacted by it.”
The CORE Center’s establishment aligns with a broader trend of increased investment in cybersecurity infrastructure and education. The center will provide state-of-the-art labs and collaborative spaces, fostering innovation and strengthening cyber resilience. It aims to be a nationally recognized leader in cybersecurity research, workforce development, and public service, driving a safer and more resilient digital future for Arkansas and beyond.
Recent graduate Courtney Ingram exemplifies the demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals. She secured a position as an information security analyst at Blue Cross Blue Shield just five weeks before graduating. “To even get a job, a position, five weeks before I graduated was awesome enough, but to actually be doing something in my field is very rewarding for me,” Ingram told KATV. The CORE Center is expected to further enhance the program’s ability to prepare students for successful careers in the field.
The CORE Center’s focus extends beyond simply training cybersecurity professionals. It aims to address the complex challenges posed by emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, recognizing that these technologies introduce new vulnerabilities and require advanced defensive strategies. By fostering research, education, and collaboration, the center seeks to develop practical solutions for these evolving threats.
The center’s values are centered around student success, innovation, and collaboration. Through workforce development, service learning, and applied research, CORE intends to prepare highly skilled professionals while promoting ethical and responsible technology use. The CORE Center represents a significant step forward in Arkansas’s efforts to bolster its cybersecurity defenses and cultivate a skilled workforce capable of meeting the challenges of the digital age.
