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USC Aiken Prepares For $18M Cyber Training Complex

A new project at USC Aiken will soon turn 18 acres into two modern cyber training buildings. The facilities will help train hundreds of students and National Guard members in…

A new project at USC Aiken will soon turn 18 acres into two modern cyber training buildings. The facilities will help train hundreds of students and National Guard members in advanced cybersecurity skills.

The new Cyber Integration Center will include a Readiness Center, and once it's complete, it will host training, education, prototyping, and collaboration for USCA students, South Carolina National Guard soldiers, and more. The facilities will be beneficial for training within more than 400 cyber majors at USCA, along with more than 100 South Carolina National Guard cybersecurity and signal soldiers.

Phillip Bridgmon, provost for USCA, highlights the importance of this growth for the University, telling WJBF, "It'll extend the South Carolina National Guard's capabilities to collaborate with other agencies involved in increasing our national cyber defense."

With completion expected in 2026, the Cyber Integration Center will come alive as students work on real-world problems. Working together, students will team up with local organizations on important cyber projects that benefit the community.

Two Guard units will use the Readiness Center as their base, where soldiers will guide students before moving to the main building. This practical approach gives students real experience while helping protect national security.

The project adds another milestone to USCA's journey since it began in 1961. Starting as a small USC branch, it grew into a full four-year school by 1977, after bringing more than 1,000 students to its new campus.

The new Cyber Integration Center is just one more way that USCA continues to grow and shape the community and prepare future leaders in the ever-changing world of technology and cyber intelligence.

CodyEditor
“Cody” Blaine Jackson is one half of the Kicks Wake Up Krew on Kicks 99, and also serves as the Digital Program Director for Beasley Media Group in Augusta. She’s a Georgia native but currently resides just across the river in South Carolina. She started in the radio industry as a part-time board operator, and moved up through various roles, including on-air positions and program director for multiple stations. Her passions include fitness and anything to do with animals, as she has two fur babies, her dogs Harley and Waylon. Cody likes to write about pets, fitness and Augusta local events.