The University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock) will expand its cybersecurity clinic to three additional colleges in fall 2026. The clinic provides technical support to underserved organizations while giving students hands-on experience addressing real-world cyber risks.
The Cyberspace Operations Research and Education (CORE) Center Cybersecurity Clinic will expand through the university-led Cyber Learning Network to Ouachita Baptist University, the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope-Texarkana, and North Arkansas College. The broader network brings together students and faculty from 11 Arkansas colleges and universities, according to a university announcement.
“Every partner site is another place where our students get to apply what they’re learning to a real problem with real stakes,” said Sandra Leiterman, director of cybersecurity education and outreach at the university. “That kind of experience is hard to replicate in a classroom, and it’s what makes our graduates ready to contribute on day one.”
Clinic teams composed of students and faculty members work with small nonprofits, school districts, health clinics, rural utilities, small businesses, and other organizations that provide essential services but may lack dedicated cybersecurity employees or funding for commercial security assessments, according to the university.
The teams evaluate participating organizations’ systems, identify vulnerabilities, examine potential attack paths, and provide prioritized recommendations for strengthening defenses.
Nathan Thomason, a former student researcher at the center, said the opportunity to work with Arkansas organizations and emerging technologies strengthened his education.
“The opportunities to engage with my local community and pursue bleeding-edge cybersecurity technologies that I was presented with as a researcher allowed my studies to have a measurable impact on my community,” Thomason said.
The university received a $1.96 million workforce development grant in 2022 from the Arkansas Office of Skills Development for development of the Cyber Learning Network. The network initially linked UA Little Rock with six other University of Arkansas System campuses to expand cybersecurity education and address the state’s cyber workforce needs.
In 2024, UA Little Rock established the CORE Center with a $1 million grant announced by Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin’s office. The university dedicated the new center on Feb. 10, 2026. It is designed to support workforce-aligned education in cybersecurity, digital forensics, and emerging applications of artificial intelligence (AI).
In April, the university received $1 million from Google’s philanthropic organization, Google.org, to establish a statewide Cybersecurity Clinic Network. That initiative uses the Cyber Learning Network’s partnerships to connect students and faculty with municipalities, rural healthcare providers, K-12 schools, utilities, nonprofits, and small businesses that need cybersecurity assistance.
UA Little Rock said clinic services are informed by research underway at the CORE Center. One project is examining how AI can identify potential cyberattack paths through an organization’s systems and help prioritize security improvements.
The center is also working with the Institute for AI Policy and Strategy on cybersecurity policy and critical infrastructure protection initiatives.
“Arkansas has cracked the code for making these partnerships work,” said Philip Huff, director of the CORE Center and assistant professor of computer science. “Communities across the state need practical help defending against cyberattacks, and our students are ready and able to meet that need. Now our job is to clear the path so these partnerships can thrive and strengthen cybersecurity across Arkansas.”
