Maryland National Guard partners with TU

By: Keri Luise, Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of Towson.edu

After maintaining a collaborative, informal partnership between their institutions for about a year, Towson University President Kim Schatzel and Maryland Adjutant General Linda Singh of the National Guard reaffirmed their partnership by signing a memorandum of understanding on Jan. 27.

Schatzel and Singh signed the MOU at SECU Arena before Towson’s Military Appreciation Day men’s basketball game against Elon University.

This agreement is intended for Towson and the National Guard to join forces in a range of activities focusing mainly on cyber security experiential learning and community outreach.

“As an agent of change for the economy and the state of Maryland, it is my pleasure to sign this memorandum of understanding on behalf of Towson University,” Schatzel said. “We are looking forward to expanding our partnership with the Maryland Army National Guard to provide important opportunities for continuing education, cyber security training, experiential learning and community outreach.”

Towson hosts military appreciation athletic events throughout the academic year and is involved in the Maryland National Guard’s Partners in Education program. TU is also one of the first institutions in Maryland to have a Military and Veterans Center to help veterans on campus adjust to university life.

“This is our first MOU in the state of Maryland and builds on our significant and longstanding partnership with Towson University,” Singh said. “This MOU will take both organizations to new heights as we focus on important programs of need like cyber security.”

The MOU is targeted at education and training in the Department of Computer and Information Sciences and the Center for Professional Studies.

Towson is one of 16 institutions in the U.S. to be recognized for NSA/SHA National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education.

“Towson University’s partnership with the Maryland National Guard strengthens Maryland’s cyber security infrastructure and creates opportunities for TU students and guardsman,” Schatzel said. “We are proud to work alongside the Guard to support the region’s communities and economy as an anchor institution for Greater Baltimore.”

According to the MOU, Towson is “a leading provider of professional and continuing education through customized training and certification courses, with an increasing focus on cyber security.”

This recently reaffirmed partnership will “further expand TU’s capacity and recognition as a leader in cyber security and cyber defense education and training,” according to the document.

Through confirming this partnership, TU and the Maryland National Guard are working to provide opportunities for students and Guard members, according to a press release.

A new scholarship, the Major Robert Marchanti Scholarship, was also created to be awarded to a TU student-athlete.

“We’ve been recognized nationally as a military-friendly institution,” Schatzel said. “It’s a source of great pride for us to be able to work with active duty members and veterans, and be able to support them in terms of their educational endeavors.”

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