April 7, 2017
Laurel Ridge’s cybersecurity team, The Crashers, will compete in the finals of the RUSecureCTF cybersecurity competition April 29 at Radford University.
Pictured left to right are Matt Cascio, team leader Trevor Riley-Jewell, Joshua Fetty, Harvey Ruth and Traci Roomsburg
The team placed fourth in the preliminary competition in late March, scoring 18,750 points. The first-place team had 19,100 points. There were 63 teams, representing community colleges and high schools, competing in the event.
“The Crashers spent many hours solving the challenges given in Cryptography, Forensics, Windows, Linux, Reconnaissance, and Networking,” Cybersecurity Program Manager and IT Professor Henry Coffman says. “This is a great learning experience for all of us in the program, regardless of winning. Passion leads to success in this discipline. The team has that passion.”
Team members are Trevor Riley-Jewell, Matt Cascio, Harvey Ruth, Traci Roomsburg and Joshua Fetty. There will be seven teams competing in the finals.
Each member of the top 12 teams in the contest will receive an Arduino Starter Kit. Each member of the teams who made the finals will receive a Raspberry Pi kit. The prizes are thanks to a National Security Agency grant.
The National Security Agency has designated Laurel Ridge a National Center for Academic Excellence in CyberDefense.
The field of cybersecurity is expected to grow by 37 percent through 2022, and has a median pay of nearly $87,000. Laurel Ridge offers both an associate degree in cybersecurity, and a career studies certificate that can be completed in just one year.
For more information about Laurel Ridge’s cybersecurity program, email [email protected]
Founded in 1970, Laurel Ridge Community College is a multi-campus public institution of higher education. With three locations — Middletown, Warrenton, and Luray-Page County — the College serves eight localities in the Shenandoah Valley and northern Piedmont regions. The localities are the counties of Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and Warren and the city of Winchester. Laurel Ridge offers more than 75 associate degree and certificate programs in a wide variety of disciplines. Laurel Ridge also serves the business community by offering workforce preparation programs for employees and employers. Laurel Ridge serves more than 9,000 unduplicated credit students and more than 11,000 individuals in professional development and business and industry courses annually.
Laurel Ridge Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. Laurel Ridge Community College also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Laurel Ridge Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
Laurel Ridge Community College is an equal opportunity institution providing educational and employment opportunities, programs, services, and activities. Laurel Ridge shall promote and maintain equal employment and educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, marital status, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions including lactation, age (except when age is a bona fide occupational qualification), status as a veteran, national origin, or other non-merit factors. Laurel Ridge also prohibits sexual misconduct including sexual violence or harassment. Inquiries may be directed to the Associate Vice President, Human Resources, [email protected], 173 Skirmisher Lane, Middletown, VA 22645, 540-868-7226.
Laurel Ridge Community College was known as Lord Fairfax Community College until June 2022. For consistency purposes, the college will be referenced as Laurel Ridge going forward.