Why Cybersecurity Students Choose UCF

In a world increasingly defined by digital innovation, the demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals has never been greater. For students aspiring to become tomorrow’s cybersecurity professionals, UCF stands out as the premier destination for learning, training — and winning. Home to one of the nation’s most prestigious cybersecurity programs, UCF is not only fostering the next generation of cyber defenders but also consistently proving its excellence in national competitions.

“I researched the past winners and saw UCF’s history of dominance. I knew I wanted to go here and work with the best.” — Harrison Keating ’24, student

Harrison Keating ’24, who earned his bachelor’s in computer science in May, and is now enrolled as a master’s student in cyber security and privacy, won dozens of competitions for UCF. At the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (NCCDC) in April, he served as team captain of a UCF team, which recently defeated nine other regional champions in the largest collegiate competition of its kind in the nation. The team won UCF’s record sixth national championship in San Antonio and the Alamo Cup trophy in April this year.

“I had been interested in cybersecurity competitions for a long time,” says Harrison, who is from St. Augustine, Florida. “When I learned about the NCCDC — the most prestigious cyber defense competition in the U.S. — I researched the past winners and saw UCF’s history of dominance. I knew I wanted to go here and work with the best. Being geographically close to home helped too, but after visiting as a high schooler and attending several Hack@UCF club meetings, I was hooked. That active, passionate student community around cybersecurity is really what drew me in.”

A Dynasty of Champions

UCF’s cybersecurity program is not just about classroom learning — it’s about real-world success and a dominant force in collegiate cyber sports.

The most recent victory, winning the NCCDC, often dubbed the “Super Bowl” of cybersecurity competitions, a record six times, further cemented UCF’s status as a dynasty in the world of competitive cyber competitions.

Overall, UCF’s Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition Team is the nation’s best collegiate cybersecurity competition team, winning a total of 12 national championships since 2014.

The UCF Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition Team members are all members of larger Collegiate Cyber Defense Club (also known as Hack@UCF), which has grown exponentially as a club in the past few years. Club membership has nearly doubled over the past four years from 210 active student members in 2020 to a record 406 active members by the end of the 2023-24 school year. The 2024-2025 school year is off to a great start with over 350 students joining the club within the first month of the school year.

“With our successful track record in the [NCCDC] and other cyber competitions over the years, it’s an undeniable fact that UCF has the best cyber program, best students and best coaches in the nation,” says Professor of Computer Science Tom Nedorost ’02MS, who is head coach of the team.

“With our successful track record in the [NCCDC] and other cyber competitions over the years, it’s an undeniable fact that UCF has the best cyber program, best students and best coaches in the nation.” — Tom Nedorost ’02MS, professor and Hack@UCF coach

The team’s success is no accident. UCF’s competitive edge stems from a comprehensive and hands-on approach to cybersecurity education. Students engage in complex scenarios that mimic real-life cyber threats, requiring them to protect networks and systems from simulated attacks. This immersive learning model sharpens their skills, prepares them for high-stakes situations and gives them a significant advantage when entering the workforce.

“Unfortunately, cybercrime is profitable,” Keating says. “There’s a growing industry of ransomware attacks that hold entire companies and their customers’ data hostage. We know that 60% of small to medium businesses have experienced at least one cyber attack. It’s everybody’s problem at this point … in world of social media, online banking and cloud storage, everyone is connected to the Internet in some way. It can all be hacked; it’s inescapable now.”

According to Cyberseek.org, there are nearly 470,000 open cybersecurity positions available today in the United States including 23,424 open positions within Florida. The national number of individuals employed in cyber careers has increased by 55% since 2010 while the number of cyber job openings has increased by 69%.  In Florida alone, the number of individuals employed in cyber careers has increased by 67% since 2010 while the number of cyber job openings has increased by 80%.  Within Florida, the highest concentrations of cyber opportunities are in Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater; Orlando-Kissimmee; West Palm Beach-Ft. Lauderdale-Miami; and Jacksonville.

Harrison has a drive that fits the ever-evolving landscape of his field of study. He has completed internships as a security engineer with Core & Main, and as a network engineer with IBM Research. In addition to his master’s coursework and preparing for upcoming competitions, Harrison is employed full-time as a Cybersecurity Engineer at Abbott Laboratories, on a team comprised mostly of UCF and C3 alumni. He also found ways to pursue his interest in the business side of cybersecurity, including a first place finish in UCF’s Joust New Venture Competition last spring.

Collaboration and Competition

Last fall, Harrison founded and served as the competition director for the inaugural Horse Plinko Cyber Challenge, a fun and educational cyber contest designed for beginning cybersecurity students. The competition is returning this fall Oct. 5-6 — this time with over 200 registered participants. This event is 100% student-run and provides students with an entry point into the competitive and valuable experiences they need to compete on teams like his and ultimately pursue careers in cybersecurity — which is sorely needed, as cybercriminals extorted a record $1.1 billion last year.

“Competing on UCF’s cybersecurity team was probably the best decision I’ve made since joining UCF,” says Matthew McKeever ’24, who earned his bachelors in computer science and has also returned for a master’s degree in cyber security and privacy, after interning at Microsoft security group, where a job offer has been extended for him to join.

“Competing on UCF’s cybersecurity team was probably the best decision I’ve made since joining UCF.” — Matthew McKeever ’24, student

“Competing has taught me topics and concepts you learn in class but … I would say that competitions are more valuable than the classes you take. Companies sometimes view competition experience as working experience,” McKeever says.

After winning the NCCDC, the UCF Collegiate Cybersecurity Competition Team was invited by Nightwing, an intelligence services company and sponsor of the largest collegiate-level cyber competition, to meet cyber professionals in the public sector who are charged with securing the nation against cyber adversaries. The UCF team and their coach, Nedorost, visited the Pentagon, Central Intelligence Agency, U.S. Secret Service, Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Homeland Security Investigations Cyber Crimes Center, the Library of Congress and the U.S. Capitol.

Meeting the group at the Pentagon was Mieke Eoyang, deputy assistant secretary of defense for cyber policy. She welcomed the students and informed them of the types of career opportunities available for cybersecurity professionals at the U.S. Department of Defense.

At the CIA, the students toured the Cyber Operations Center and spoke with recently hired CIA cyber professionals about their career experience. Visiting the U.S. Secret Service, students learned that the original purpose of the agency was to investigate counterfeit currency. While that purpose is still part of the mission, the agency is involved in all types of counterfeit activities, including falsified documents and signatures, as well as providing protective services for U.S. political figures, their families and visiting heads of state or government.

Securing a Future in the Digital Age

For students passionate about cybersecurity, UCF offers more than just an education — it provides a pathway to a successful and impactful career. Whether aiming to defend networks, protect critical infrastructure, or contribute to the global fight against cybercrime, UCF is the place to sharpen skills, compete with the best and launch a thriving career.

With a winning tradition, cutting-edge curriculum and real-world training that industry recruiters notice, UCF stands out as the leader in cybersecurity education.