Students

New Mexico State University (NMSU), a proud participant in the National Security Agency's Center of Academic Excellence (NSA CAE) program, offers an enriching cybersecurity educational experience for students in the Southwest tech hub. NMSU provides various student resources, including NSA-aligned curricular support, hands-on research opportunities, career guidance, and advanced cyber labs. Additionally, students can immerse themselves in a vibrant scene of cybersecurity activities, such as participating in regional and national competitions, attending expert-led workshops and seminars, joining student clubs and organizations for peer networking, and engaging in community outreach programs. These initiatives align with the NSA CAE's stringent standards and foster a robust pipeline of skilled cybersecurity professionals, positioning NMSU as a central contributor to regional needs and broader national security challenges.

Student Resources

• C5 - Cybersecurity Education curriculum and resources for community colleges
• CAE Tech Talks - Tech talks from the NSA Center of Academic Excellence community
• Clark - Cybersecurity Curriculum from the CAE Community
• Codecademy - Code challenges. Test your knowledge and prep for interviews.
• CSSIA - Cybersecurity education resources
• Cyber FastTrack - Cybersecurity training for college students
• Cyber Quests - Challenging online quiz competition (see USCC)
• Cyber Seek - information on the cybersecurity job market
• CyberPatriot - Cyber defense competition for high schools and middle schools. 
• NICCS - National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
• NICE - National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education.
• Privacy Rights Clearing House - Excellent information about identity theft and more
• US Cyber Challenge - National organization supporting state and regional cyber camps dedicated to building a superior cybersecurity workforce.
• The Colloquium for Information Security Education - is an annual conference dedicated to the advancement of cybersecurity education and training.
• CERT - program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness for the hazards that may occur where they live.
• National Institute of Standards and Technology -  is an agency of the United States Department of Commerce whose mission is to promote American innovation and industrial competitiveness.
• NSA - is responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign and domestic intelligence and counterintelligence. 
• Department of Homeland Security -  works to improve the security of the United States.
• U.S. Government Websites for Kids & Students - is a service provided by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO).
• National Security Education Program - to serve as a leader in developing the national capacity to educate United States citizens.
• Information Systems Security Association - is a not-for-profit, international organization of information security professionals and practitioners.
• Infragard - is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and members of the private sector for the protection of U.S. Critical Infrastructure.
• CERIAS — Center for Education and Research in Information Assurance and Security - is one of the world's leading centers for research and education in areas of information and cyber security.

Student Cybersecurity Activities

• NCCDC: NATIONAL COLLEGIATE CYBER DEFENSE COMPETITION - Initiated in 2004, the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition offers a structured framework for college-level cybersecurity teams to compete from regional qualifiers to national levels.
• Southwest Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition - The Southwest Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition is opertated by a team of dedicated volunteers from the Information Security industry. The on-site regional competition is hosted by the University of Tulsa every March.
• Pwn2Own - a hacking contest presented annually at the CanSecWest Conference.
• PITCOCTF - picoCTF is a two-week competitive CTF open to anyone, with prizes available to eligible teams
• US Cyber Challenge - is presented by the Center for Internet Security, and offers a number of cyber security competitions.
• DEF CON CONTESTS - presents a wide range of contents that often change from year to year. Common competitions include hacking, lockpicking, scavenger hunts, and the highly prestigious capture the flag contest.
• PANOPLY - is a network assessment and network defense competition put on by the University of Texas at San Antonio.
• CSAW CAPTURE THE FLAG (CTF) - designed as an entry-level, jeopardy-style CTF, this competition is for students who are trying to break into the field of security, as well as for advanced students and industry professionals who want to practice their skills.
• NCL - The National Cyber League competition
• SANS Cyber Ranges - provides an essential step in your cybersecurity training, allowing you to apply your skills and gain practical experience in an interactive and isolated environment, with no real-world risk, built by industry-leading SANS instructors.
• CyberPatriot - is a program established for the K-12 education of students in cyber security by the Air Force Association.
  
• Mitre Cyber Academy - annual STEM Capture the Flag challenge that is open to both current students and professionals