Gov. John Bel Edwards cut the ribbon to open the Louisiana Tech Academic Success Center at the National Cyber Research Park.
“It is a great day to be here with you,” Edwards said. “Education is synonymous with opportunity. It truly always has been, but it never has been more the case than it is today. Ensuring that more people are successful is critically important.”
The Academic Success Center features a Cyber Training Center designed to promote education, research, training and discovery in a broad range of cyber technologies, techniques and procedures. The goal is to prepare students, veterans and active-duty military for four-year degrees and career advancement. It is a partnership between La Tech, Bossier Parrish Community College, the Cyber Innovation Center and CSRA.
“This new facility will serve as a focal point for connected students and prospective students to educational and career opportunities right here in north Louisiana,” said Dr. Les Guice, president of La Tech. “Particularly those opportunities in the high-demand cyber, energy and technology related fields. We want to create the knowledge workers, and that’s what this is about.”
“At the University of Louisiana system, I asked the nine presidents to come together. I said ‘Guys, we’ve got an opportunity. Let’s create a vision for the state.’ The came up with the vision to create by 2025 the most educated generation of Louisianans in our history. You have to look nor further than this building or this entire complex to see a tangible model of partnership, innovation and how education leads to economic prosperity for all of us.”
University of Louisiana System President Dr. Jim Henderson The center was made possible, in part, by at $1 million gift from the American Electric Power Foundation and Nick Akins, president, chairman and CEO of AEP and a Tech alumnus.
“This newest reality for Tech and Shreveport-Bossier will not only increase opportunities for students to pursue cyber careers and strengthen the future workforce, but it also builds upon a public-private partnership that is critical to the region’s future growth,” Akins said in a news release.
