Yesterday afternoon, the Georgia Cyber Center at Augusta University celebrated the grand opening of its Cyber Resiliency Center (CRC), an exciting milestone for our team and for the organizations across Georgia that the CRC will serve.
The afternoon brought together Augusta University leadership, community partners, students and members of the Georgia Cyber Center team to celebrate the launch of the Cyber Resiliency Center and the work that has gone into making it a reality.
Photo by Michael Holahan/Augusta University
The ceremony began with remarks from Eric Toler, our Executive Director, who shared why the CRC is so important and what it means for organizations across Georgia looking for practical support to strengthen their cybersecurity and prepare for cyber incidents.
For Eric and Dr. John McLain, Director of the Cyber Resiliency Center, the grand opening was an especially exciting moment. After years of planning, building the team and getting the CRC ready to serve organizations across the state, they finally had the opportunity to officially open the doors.
Hands-On Cybersecurity Experience for Students
Photo by Michael Holahan/Augusta University
One of the highlights of the afternoon was hearing from Samantha Banister, an Augusta University grad student who works with the Cyber Resiliency Center. Samantha shared her experience gaining real-world experience protecting organizations across Georgia, and gave guests a firsthand look at what it means to be a student involved in this work.
The CRC’s 80% student workforce is an important part of the initiative. Students have the opportunity to gain hands-on cybersecurity experience while working alongside professionals and contributing to projects that support real organizations throughout Georgia.
We were also honored to have Augusta University President Dr. Russell Keen and the First Lady Karen Keen, join us for the celebration. President Keen spoke about the importance of the Cyber Resiliency Center and its role within Augusta University and the state’s broader cybersecurity efforts.
We are incredibly thankful for President Keen’s support of the Cyber Resiliency Center and our mission. Having them there to celebrate this milestone with us made the afternoon even more special.
James Allen of the Augusta Metro Chamber of Commerce also joined us as a speaker, highlighting the economic importance of partnerships like this one to the Augusta community and beyond.
Building Stronger Cyber Resilience Across Georgia
After the speakers shared their remarks, we gathered for a ceremonial ribbon cutting to officially open the Cyber Resiliency Center.
From there, the celebration continued with a reception and tours of the CRC space. Guests were able to see where the team works, meet members of the CRC and learn more about the services available to organizations across Georgia.
The Cyber Resiliency Center provides cybersecurity and cyber resilience services to organizations including rural hospitals, local governments, school districts and small-medium manufacturers. Services include risk assessments, site assistance visits, operational technology reviews, tabletop exercises and resiliency planning.
The CRC also creates a unique opportunity for students to put their cybersecurity education into practice while helping organizations address real-world challenges.
A New Cybersecurity Resource for Georgia Organizations 
The grand opening was a chance to celebrate how far the Cyber Resiliency Center has come, but it is also the start of what comes next.
With a team of professionals and students that’s already hitting the ground running, the CRC will continue building relationships with organizations across Georgia and providing practical cybersecurity support to help them better prepare for and respond to cyber incidents.
We are proud to officially open the doors of the Cyber Resiliency Center and grateful to everyone who helped us reach this point. We are excited to see where the work takes us next!
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