ASU and Cyber Ready Clinic Partner to Strengthen Cybersecurity in Rural Texas

SAN ANGELO, TX - Angelo State University's Kay Bailey Hutchison Institute (KBHI) and the Cyber Ready Clinic today announced a strategic partnership designed to strengthen cybersecurity and cyber resilience across communities, with a particular focus on supporting underserved and rural communities.

The partnership brings together the expertise of cybersecurity professionals from the Washington, D.C.-based Cyber Ready Clinic with the emerging talent of ASU cybersecurity students to provide cybersecurity assessments and resilience-focused services to nonprofit organizations in Texas. By combining industry experience with hands-on student engagement, the initiative will help organizations in underserved and rural areas better understand and address cyber risks while preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

"This partnership reflects Angelo State University's commitment to building cyber resilience through education, service and community engagement," said ASU President Ronnie Hawkins. "Cybersecurity is no longer solely a technical challenge, it is a community challenge. Through a whole-community approach, we are working to ensure that underserved and rural communities have access to the resources, expertise and talent needed to strengthen their cybersecurity posture and resilience."

The collaboration also aligns with the KBHI's mission to support cybersecurity education while creating meaningful experiential learning opportunities for students.

"We are building on a strong foundation of cybersecurity support and outreach at ASU, and we have a successful model with ASU's Regional Security Operations Center," said Dr. Scarlet Clouse, KBHI director. "Students will gain practical experience working alongside industry professionals to address real-world cybersecurity challenges facing nonprofit organizations and community-serving institutions."

The Cyber Ready Clinic, a leader in cybersecurity outreach and capacity-building initiatives, shares the vision of expanding access to cybersecurity resources for organizations that often lack the expertise or budget to conduct comprehensive assessments, particularly those serving underserved and rural populations.

"Our partnership with Angelo State University creates a powerful model for community-focused cyber resilience," said John Bruns, CEO of Cyber Ready Clinic. "By pairing industry expertise with student talent, we can provide valuable cybersecurity services to nonprofits that serve underserved and rural communities while helping develop the cybersecurity workforce of tomorrow."

The partnership will officially launch with its first operational cybersecurity clinic during the fall 2026 semester. Initially operating on a small scale, the pilot clinic will deliver cybersecurity assessments and recommendations to select West Texas nonprofit organizations, laying the foundation for future growth and expanded impact across the region and beyond.