{"id":29291,"date":"2026-03-26T13:57:27","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T17:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/news\/?p=29291"},"modified":"2026-03-26T14:00:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T18:00:01","slug":"intuit-cybersecurity-partnership-student-led-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marshall.edu\/news\/2026\/03\/intuit-cybersecurity-partnership-student-led-security\/","title":{"rendered":"Intuit and Marshall University\u2019s Institute for Cybersecurity Partner to Launch Student-Led Security Operations Center to Build the Nation\u2019s Future Cyber Defense Workforce"},"content":{"rendered":"
Marshall University\u2019s Institute for Cybersecurity (ICS) has partnered with Intuit, the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax<\/a>, Credit Karma<\/a>, QuickBooks<\/a>, Mailchimp<\/a> and Intuit Enterprise Suite<\/a>, to establish a student-led Security Operations Center (SOC), creating a hands-on cyber defense environment that prepares students to defend real-world enterprise systems and infrastructure.<\/p>\n

The student-led SOC will provide Marshall students with an immersive experience in threat detection, incident response, log analysis, and adversary emulation, mirroring the operational tempo and tooling of modern enterprise security environments. Under faculty supervision and industry mentorship, students will operate in structured analyst tiers, developing mission-ready capabilities aligned to workforce needs across government, defense, financial services, and critical infrastructure sectors.<\/p>\n

The partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the national cybersecurity workforce pipeline and advancing secure digital ecosystems.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis partnership represents the convergence of education and operational reality,\u201d said Alex Donathan, Executive Director of the Institute for Cybersecurity at Marshall University. \u201cBy building a student-led SOC in collaboration with Intuit, we are not simulating cyber defense; we are operationalizing it. Our students graduate mission-ready, with experience that directly translates to protecting enterprise systems and national infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cTo protect the digital ecosystem of tomorrow, we need a pipeline of cyber talent with real-world expertise,\u201d said Atticus Tysen, Intuit\u2019s Chief Information Security Officer. \u201cWorking with Marshall University to build a student-led Security Operations Center provides exactly that\u2014an immersive training ground for cyber defense. This investment ensures students are mission-ready from day one, having mastered the hands-on skills required to secure enterprise systems at scale.\u201d<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s announcement marks a significant milestone for Intuit and Marshall University in fulfilling a commitment made in March 2025 to enhance education and economic development in West Virginia. Together, the organizations are cultivating a robust talent pipeline for tech-driven jobs, like cybersecurity, as a core element of their overarching partnership agreement<\/a> forged last spring.<\/p>\n

The SOC will integrate enterprise-grade security tooling, structured playbooks, and industry-informed governance frameworks. Students will gain exposure to:<\/p>\n