Dakota State University announced a $90 million initiative Wednesday to grow the cyber-research industry in South Dakota, according to a news release.
The plan includes a $50 million gift from billionaire philanthropist T. Denny Sanford.
Dakota State is known for its nationally recognized programs in cybersecurity. The Beacom College of Computer and Cyber Sciences graduates address a growing demand for cybersecurity professionals. Many leave for the east or west coast for work. DSU wants more of those graduates to stay in South Dakota.
“We see this as an opportunity, a challenge,” said Dakota State University President José-Marie Griffiths.
The university created a vision to expand DSU’s Applied Research Lab to stimulate a cyber-research industry in Sioux Falls supporting national security and defense, offering workforce and economic development opportunities, and establishing South Dakota as a cyber state.
The five-year plan includes opportunities for Madison and Sioux Falls, through a public/private partnership.
In Madison
- Continue to fill DSU’s ARL in Madison to 125-150 full-time jobs.
- Increase DSU’s capacity to double the number of graduates of The Beacom College from 200 to 400 annually by recruiting and retaining faculty, students and staff.
- Expand the cyber talent pipeline and career pathways by launching the Governor’s Cyber Academy to offer dual credit programs to high school students statewide.
In Sioux Falls
- Expand DSU-ARL with a specialized facility that will be owned by the state via the Board of Regents and DSU. This facility is expected to open in fall of 2025 and support 400 to 500 full-time jobs.
- Establish a nonprofit corporation to hire DSU-ARL staff to perform and manage the applied research and lease space from DSU, both in Madison and Sioux Falls.
- The new nonprofit corporation will also run intensive summer cybersecurity bootcamps for students from other universities in South Dakota majoring in cyber-related disciplines such as computer science, computer engineering, software engineering, etc. These are anticipated to start in summer 2023.
The public/private partnerships
- $50 million over five years from philanthropist T. Denny Sanford to construct a specialized facility to house the expanded DSU-ARL in Sioux Falls with an estimated completion date of fall 2025.
- 10 to 16 acres of land donated by Sanford Health at the Sanford Sports Complex adjacent to Sanford’s Virtual Care Center.
- $10 million from the city of Sioux Falls to create the physical, organizational, and programmatic infrastructure needed for the DSU-ARL in Sioux Falls.
- $250,000 from Forward Sioux Falls for planning a Cyber/IT Park in Sioux Falls.
- $30 million from the State of South Dakota proposed by Gov. Kristi Noem in her fiscal year 2023 budget request. This will expand the educational capacity of The Beacom College in Madison to double the number of graduates from 200 to 400 per year and to launch the Governor’s Cyber Academy statewide to all high schools.
- Execution of Plan will be done by Dakota State University and the South Dakota Board of Regents.
