Capitol, NSA sign agreement on degree opportunities
July 20, 2018
Capitol Technology University formally launched an agreement with the National Security Agency (NSA) on Wednesday (July 18) that enables NSA employees to apply agency-provided training towards completion of a degree.
Many NSA employees receive training in cybersecurity and other specialized areas through the agency's National Cryptologic School (NCS). With Wednesday’s agreement, they will now be able to transfer NCS credits to Capitol and earn an undergraduate or graduate degree.
The formal signing took place during a ceremony at the National Cryptologic Museum, located at the NSA headquarters in Fort Meade.
“We are very excited – and feel immensely honored – to be able to support the NSA in this endeavor,” said Dr. Bradford L. Sims, president of Capitol Technology University. “It is an endeavor that closely aligns with our own mandate as a university, and with our history as an institution, going back all the way to our origins as a radio engineering school founded by a Navy veteran, Eugene Rietzke. We have been providing education and training opportunities to NSA personnel through various programs since the 1980s, and continuing into the present decade.”
Capitol, Sims noted, has earned repeat designations by the DHS and NSA as a Center of Academic Excellence (Cyber-Defense). The Laurel-based university is also one of only two institutions – the other being the Navy Post-Graduate School – authorized to offer coursework to NSA personnel as part of the Security Engineering and Enrichment Development (SEEDS) program, which leads to Information System Security Engineer certification.
Dr. Sharon Fratta-Hill, assistant provost at NCS, and Dr. Leonard T. Reinsfelder, NCS training director and NSA/CSS commandant, also spoke at the ceremony.
“Capitol provides an exceptional education for students who want to focus on cyber, computer science, or engineering,” Fratta-Hill said. “They have had a focus for decades on educating the military as well as federal employees and they truly understand the needs of our employees.”
“These classes are going to be great for our entire enterprise. All the classes will be online, so not only will those of us in the Fort Meade area be able to take them, but we’ll be able to use these courses enterprise-wide.
Leonard spoke of the value the agreement would bring to NSA personnel who have been educated in critical fields via the NCS, and can now apply their hard work towards completion of a degree.
“Our employees – your students, our graduates – will make you proud,” he said.
Are you an NCS graduate interested in completing your degree at Capitol? For more information about AAS and BS degrees please email admission@captechu.edu or phone 301-369-3629. For information regarding MS and PhD degrees, e-mail gradadmit@captechu.edu or phone: 301-369-3629.