October 10, 2024
$2M Entergy Grant Helps Fund JSU’s Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab
The creation of the lab will provide JSU students resources and hands-on opportunities in the cybersecurity field.
As Jackson State University (JSU) expands its cybersecurity education curriculum, the Mississippi HBCU is establishing a Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab with a $2 million grant from the Entergy Charitable Foundation.
JSU President Marcus Thompson, Ph.D., was presented with a check from the Fortune 500 company during an Oct. 7 press conference at the university. “This gift will have a lasting impact on the lives of our students and the future of the energy sector,” Thompson said in a press release. “…This lab will not only benefit Jackson State University and our students, but it will also play a critical role in shaping the broader energy landscape.”
The creation of the Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab aims to get JSU students in front of the resources and opportunities necessary to succeed in the cybersecurity field. A report by Cybersecurity Ventures highlights the growing record of cyberattacks. By 2025, global cybercrime costs are projected to increase to $10.5 trillion annually by 2025. With the innovation hub, students will become highly trained with valuable technical skills to contribute to society and safeguard national infrastructure. JSU students will understand the cybersecurity workforce and become equipped to accommodate electrical cooperatives and companies that explore and produce nuclear, electric, and natural gas.
Entergy Mississippi President and CEO Haley Fisackerly said the company aims to provide opportunities and build a diverse workforce in cybersecurity by “investing in local talent and competing to keep them here.” A 2023 report by the McKinsey Institute for Black Economic Mobility reveals that only 8% of tech employees in the U.S. workforce are Black, and an analysis of Fortune 500 executives reveals the percentage decreases to 3% in the C-suite. By 2032, technology jobs across data science, engineering, cybersecurity, and software development are expected to grow by 14%. However, Black talent in those roles is expected to increase by only 8%. “The Black wage gap in tech is projected to increase 37% by 2030, resulting in more than a cumulative $350 billion in lost wages for Black families in eight years,” the report states.
The Critical Power Grid Network Security Lab is a “game-changer” for JSU students, according to Wilbur Walters, Ph.D., dean of the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology. The lab will allow students to directly engage with common challenges that working professionals face in the energy sector. “This hands-on experience makes their education more relevant and impactful,” Walters said. Entergy Chair and CEO Drew Marsh said the company is dedicated to increasing diversity in the workforce and creating opportunities for students.
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