Mercyhurst University is partnering with PricewaterhouseCoopers to launch a Cyber Autism Pilot Program for the fall 2021 semester to prepare students with autism for cybersecurity jobs. The pilot pairs the university’s autism initiative and its cybersecurity program. The program will be housed in Mercyhurst University’s Cyber Education Center.
Mercyhurst plans to recruit 10 students on the autism spectrum to participate in the Cyber-Autism Pilot Program. Students accepted into the program will be enrolled in the four-year major in cybersecurity within the Ridge College of Intelligence Studies and Applied Sciences. The students will be provided with social, emotional and living supports and other services and mentorships provided by the university’s Autism Initiative at Mercyhurst. The students will be held to the same academic standards as all Mercyhurst students.
PricewaterhouseCoopers is providing seed funding for the pilot, which will pay for advertisements, travel, marketing, recruitment, staffing, and other startup costs. The company also pledged to provide internships for the participants.
This was reported by Beaver County Times on December 7, 2020.
Contact information: Mercyhurst University, 501 East 38th Street, Erie, Pennsylvania 16546; 814-824-2000; Website: https://www.mercyhurst.edu/about/contact-us
