University of Scranton Hosts Its Fifth Cyber Camp for High Schoolers

Hey, this seems a little… like the University of Scranton is really stepping up its game! They just finished their fifth straight summer camp focused on cybersecurity and cyber investigation for high school students. It’s a big deal because more and more, these kinds of programs are helping young people get interested in tech careers early on.

The camp ran from July 8 to 10, 2025, and attracted 21 students from seven states — Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and even Texas. That’s pretty impressive for a regional program, showing how much demand there is for hands-on learning about cyber threats and digital forensics. The students got to spend three days learning about everything from hacking ethics to how AI is changing the game in cybersecurity.

What Do They Actually Do at the Camp?

Well, it’s not just sitting in a classroom all day. The program mixes lectures with real-life activities. Students participate in labs where they learn digital investigation techniques, and on the final day, they compete in a simulated cybercrime investigation.

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Think of it like a high-stakes game where they get to practice what they’ve learned, hunting down clues and solving mysteries in a mock cybercrime scene.

Pretty cool, right?

And what do they learn? Topics include cyber law, ethical hacking, and even how AI tools help fight cybercrime. The goal is to inspire these young minds to consider careers in cybersecurity or law enforcement — fields that are desperately short of skilled workers right now.

According to recent reports, over 500,000 cybersecurity jobs are waiting to be filled across the U. S., and the need keeps growing.

Why Is This Important?

Did you know that cybercrime costs the U. S. billions of dollars each year? The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported losses over $10 billion in 2024 alone. That’s why programs like this camp are so valuable. They’re building the next generation of digital defenders — folks who understand how to work with digital evidence, stop hackers, and keep our data safe.

Plus, the University of Scranton is making a solid effort to expand its training programs. This year, they even added a new internship opportunity with the local district attorney’s office and upgraded their labs for better hands-on experience. It’s clear they want to prepare students for the real world, not just theory.

In the end, it seems like the University of Scranton is doing a good thing by giving these high schoolers a chance to get a taste of what a future in cybersecurity could look like. And I think it’s a better idea — because the more young people know about these issues early on, the better equipped they’ll be to handle the issues of tomorrow’s digital world.

Claire Maddox