SEMO officially unveils new Charles Stamp Cyber Command Center with ribbon-cutting ceremony

Southeast Missouri State University officially unveiled its new Charles Stamp Cyber Command Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday, Oct. 25, at Dempster Hall.

The command center, made possible through a collaboration between SEMO and IBM Consulting, provides training that simulates real-world cyberattack scenarios. It is the first of its kind west of the Mississippi River.

“The Cyber Range will help prepare the students with immersive hands-on training and simulation programs that replicate real-life attacks,” IBM’s Missouri senior state executive Melissa Long Dolson said. “This is going to empower our students to hone those capabilities and safeguard people and organizations as they move forward in their careers. This work will provide critical real-world experience for SEMO students to develop the skills so they can excel in the cybersecurity field, and it's going to help us close that cybersecurity workforce gap that we have.”

According to Dolson, more than 500,000 vacant cybersecurity jobs were reported in the United States at the end of April, including 7,400 in Missouri.

The center is named after 1971 SEMO graduate Charles Stamp who recently gifted the university $1 million toward the completion of the center.

“This center represents a significant step in preparing students for the challenges of today’s digital economy,” Stamp said in a news release from the university. “I’m excited to contribute to creating a learning environment where students can build practical skills that will make them invaluable assets in the cybersecurity field.”

SEMO president Carlos Vargas expressed his gratitude to Stamp, who was unable to attend the ceremony, for his contribution.

“I want to express my sincere appreciation and gratitude for his generosity and foresight in helping SEMO continue to innovate and our students to continue to excel,” Vargas said. “I'd like to make a comment and note to Charlie, in case he's witnessing this event. Charlie, people like you are few and far between. SEMO and I personally are proud to count you among its alumni. Your gift will transform SEMO in ways that we haven't even recognized.”

SEMO also received a $1.9 million MoExcels grant from the State of Missouri to aid with the project. The university was recognized in 2021 through House Bill 297 as an “institution with a statewide mission in the visual and performing arts, computer science and cybersecurity.”

The Stamp Command Center features three types of cyber consoles, an “immersive” 27-foot display wall, an observation room and dedicated servers to allow students to engage in “realistic cyber breach scenarios, test their responses to enterprise-level threats and develop stronger security protocols.” In addition to training students, the command center will be utilized for cybersecurity competitions, as well as training sessions for local businesses to help them protect data.