At the center of the cybersecurity conversation.
The National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College is an academic and research center dedicated to assisting government, industry, military, and academic sectors meet the challenges in cybersecurity policy, technology, and education.
The NCI is shaping a coordinated effort to build the cybersecurity workforce and influence an informed leadership base that implements cutting-edge cybersecurity policy. We target the development of effective cybersecurity practice in specific sectors, including health care, finance, utilities/energy, telecommunications, and education/training.
National Center OF Academic Excellence

The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security designated Excelsior as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education for its Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program.
Leadership

Laurel Schneider, Director of National Cybersecurity Institute
Laurel is well versed in the detection, prevention, mitigation, and remediation of Cybersecurity threats as well as secure networking and coding practices. She has extensive experience managing network security and has successfully audited and remediated for regulatory and legal compliance, including HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), Sarbanes Oxley, and PCI (Payment Card Industry).
Laurel’s academic experience includes face-to-face and online instruction, program design, and course development. She has been teaching graduate and undergraduate courses since 2009, specializing in Cybersecurity, information technology, and business. She has also served on advisory boards and as a subject matter expert for several colleges and universities. Her diverse background, including ten years in the military, provides insight into facilitating the varied needs of adult, multi-cultural, military, and online learners. She has been an online learner herself, so she knows and understands students’ challenges while pursuing their educational goals.
Laurel is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) focusing on Computer and Information Security from Northcentral University. Her research interests include security awareness, social engineering, and the human factor of cybersecurity risk. She has also earned a Post Master’s Certificate in Computer and Information Security from Northcentral University, a Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity Technology from the University of Maryland Global Campus, an MBA from Columbia College of Missouri, and a BA from Lakeland College.
National Cybersecurity Institute Fellows
Weylin Brad Leavitt
Leavitt is a 2008 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he studied computer engineering. In 2010, he became an active-duty Air Force officer and quickly became well- known among the cadre of cyber operators. He was first assigned to the Air Force Enterprise Service Desk for three years, creating policies and leading quality assurance efforts, before being deployed with the U.S. Army to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. There he fulfilled the role of system operations officer-in-charge at the Regional Network Operations Service Center-Afghanistan. After returning from deployment, he was assigned to the Air Force Computer Emergency Response Team, becoming mission-qualified and eventually commanding one of the six Air Force Cyber Weapon Systems. He was responsible for conducting various cyber defensive operations against all activities, from daily phishing attempts to large-scale network attacks.
Contact Us
Director of NCI
Laurel Schneider
Media Requests
Erin Coufal
518-608-8498
PR@excelsior.edu
Continue the Conversation
Excelsior College National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter
The National Cybersecurity Student Association (NCSA) encourages the educational and professional development of cybersecurity students through activities, networking, and collaboration. NCSA strives to inspire career awareness and promote creative efforts by cultivating a national community that supports students in their cybersecurity endeavors.
National Cyber League
As part of the National Cybersecurity Student Association, students have the opportunity to participate in the National Cyber League. This biannual cybersecurity competition for high school and college students consists of a series of challenges that allow students to demonstrate their ability to identify hackers from forensic data, break into vulnerable websites, recover from ransomware attacks, and more.
Excelsior College has participated in the National Cyber League since 2017 and has consistently ranked on the Top 100 Leaderboard for the past three seasons. In the fall 2019 season, Excelsior College ranked No. 34 overall and teams placed No. 55 and No. 99 on the Leaderboard.
“I think the exposure and skills [gained] are the biggest takeaways. You learn things you would never learn in the classroom. This provides you a way to practice everything you learned, too.”
– Melissa Burger, MS in Cybersecurity, 2020
Excelsior College National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter
NCI Blog
- Female Veterans – Ready to Fill Cybersecurity Jobs!
- Cybersecurity Divas
- Risk or Resilience: A Look at Fraud, Forensics, and Cybersecurity Challenges and Career Opportunities
- Excelsior College Hosts Virtual Fraud, Forensics, and Cybersecurity Executive Panel on November 18 with Siena College
- Defending Against Hackers
Events and Webinars
Upcoming Events
Click to Access Just log in as “Guest” and enter your name. No password required.
A recording of the live presentation will be available following the presentation at: https://www.caecommunity.org/resources/cae-forum-resources
In keeping with our “No More Hidden Figures” mantra and in celebrating 5 years, the 2022 summit welcomes women from around the world. This years’ tracks include topics pertaining to Connectivity, Education, and Health.
Learn more and register
This event is hosted by Florida International University and New America, supported by the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE), a program of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Past 2022 Events
Learn more and register
Click to Access Just log in as “Guest” and enter your name. No password required.
Click to Access Just log in as “Guest” and enter your name. No password required.
Event Archive
- May 7, 2021 – HUE Tech Summit
- May 4 2021 – Military Spouses in Cybersecurity
- March 25, 2021 – Webinar: Data Privacy
- December 10, 2020 – Webinar: Veterans Apprenticeship Program Webinar
- November 19-20, 2020 – CAE in Cybersecurity Symposium
- November 18, 2020 – Webinar:Fraud, Forensics and Cybersecurity
- November 12, 2020 – Webinar: Seeking Careers in Cybersecurity
- American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Annual Conference
- Webinar: The Difference Between an IT Degree and a Cyber Degree
- NICE Conference and Expo
- CAE in Cybersecurity Symposium
Resources
The key to staying ahead in the field of cybersecurity is to watch for and analyze trends. It’s a challenge to stay one step ahead of the criminals. As a cybersecurity professional, you will want to stay on top of new findings and current cyber events.
Here are some resources that will help you stay up-to-date:
Vulnerability Alerts and Information
- National Cyber Awareness System – CISA
- National Vulnerability Database
- NIST – Last 20 Scored Vulnerability IDs & Summaries
- Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT Advisories)
Regulations
- United States Federal Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Laws Directory
- US State Cybersecurity Legislation
- European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Frameworks
- National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE)
- Control Objectives for Information Technology (COBIT)
- HITRUST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
- International Office of Standardization (ISO) 27001
- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)
Studies and Research
Publications
Security News & Threat Intelligence Blogs
News Feeds
- SANS Internet Storm Center
- Reddit Security News Channel
- European Union Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-EU)
Videos and Podcasts
Other Sources
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Cybersecurity
- European Union Agency for Network and Information Security
National Cybersecurity Institute Journal
The National Cybersecurity Institute Journal, a peer-reviewed journal, covers topics that appeal to a broad readership within the cybersecurity discipline, with a particular focus on education, training, and workforce development.