ARLINGTON, Va., Jan. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Air Force Association's CyberPatriot National Youth Cyber Education program announced today that Gannon University will continue its support of the program for a second consecutive year. 

"We are thrilled to once again get strong support from Gannon University," said Rachel Zimmerman, CyberPatriot's Senior Director of Business Operations. "The school offers a variety of degrees in computer science and cybersecurity. Over the past year, Gannon has provided financial support, supported local CyberPatriot teams, and hosted AFA CyberCamps. We look forward to continuing this important relationship."

The support of Gannon University allows CyberPatriot to continue expanding its programs and encouraging STEM education among America's youth.

"Gannon University is excited to continue its partnership with CyberPatriot and support the advancement of engineering and computing education among our next generation of rising leaders," said Walter Iwanenko, Ph.D., provost and vice president for student experience. "At Gannon, we recognize the critical need for trained professionals in the field of cybersecurity and are committed to providing hands-on experiences for our students to meet this demand. We are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside CyberPatriot to mentor and coach students in the local community and offer additional programming like our summer camp to build students' skills and experience to enter this rapidly growing industry."

CyberPatriot, the nation's largest youth cyber education program, is AFA's flagship STEM program dedicated to strengthening cyber skills among American youth. The program features the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition for high school and middle school students, AFA CyberCamps, an Elementary School Cyber Education Initiative and Literature Series, as well as CyberGenerations—a program aimed at equipping senior citizens with the skills needed to stay protected from cyber threats.

Other supporters of CyberPatriot include the Northrop Grumman Foundation, CyberPatriot's Presenting Sponsor, as well as Cyber Diamond sponsors Boeing, Cisco, Microsoft, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Cyber Gold sponsors Air Force Reserve, AT&T, BNY Mellon, Facebook, Symantec, and the USAA Foundation; and Cyber Silver sponsors Air Force STEM, American Military University, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Leidos, Mastercard, and University of Maryland Global Campus.

About AFA

An independent non-profit association, AFA is the single-largest professional military association dedicated to air and space power and to the advancement of aerospace education at every level. Founded in 1946, AFA is dedicated to promoting dominant U.S. Air and Space Forces as the foundation of a strong National Defense; honoring and supporting Airmen, Guardians, and their Families; and remembering and respecting the enduring heritage of the Air and Space Forces.

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SOURCE Air Force Association