WARWICK, R.I. -- The Community College of Rhode Island’s Cybersecurity Club is riding high after excelling on a national scale during the spring.

Thanks to a strong showing at the National Cyber League (NCL) spring competition, CCRI placed 27^th nationally out of 510 colleges and universities in the final Cyber Power Rankings for the spring season. CCRI ranked first among all schools in New England, second among all community colleges, and ninth among all schools in the East region, beating out powerhouses such Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the University of Connecticut, and others.

The performance was commended by David Ziechick, commissioner of the NCL, which has students perform real-world cybersecurity tasks that translate to the workforce.

“It is with our highest recommendation that students from the Community College of Rhode Island be recognized for their admirable achievement that showcased their individual skills, collaborative performance, and desire to grow and learn as cybersecurity professionals,” Zeichick wrote in a letter to CCRI.

Coached by Cybersecurity Program director Michael Kelly, CCRI students participated in individual and team-based events at the NCL spring competition. One of the club’s teams, the Cyber Knights, drew praise for its especially impressive work.

“We would like to recognize the following students for their outstanding performance: Caleb Car, Zachary Hartmann, Corey Davis, Maria Monteiro,” Zeichick wrote.

Hartmann, the club president, and Davis, the vice president, both were thrilled with the results.

“It was a peak experience for me,” Hartmann said. “I barely slept for the three days of the competition, but what drove me forward was to bring home wins for the team. I found that working so closely with the other students was a big motivator for me.”

“It was pretty amazing to see that,” Davis, 41, said of CCRI finishing 27^th in the Cyber Power Rankings. “I was shocked to see we were that high.”

It didn’t happen by accident; club leaders and participants put in significant work. Numerous events and meetings, including weekly “Cyber Saturday” sessions at the Newport County Campus, culminated in the Cybersecurity Club proving itself on a national stage.

“The performance of our students this spring is very rewarding,” said Kelly, whom Hartman described as a “great leader” and “instrumental” in the club’s success. “It speaks to the commitment and energy of our students and faculty who have worked so hard to continue to move the program forward.  It is also confirmation of the great work being done in our Cyber Saturdays program where much of the preparation for the competition took place.”

Kelly highlighted adjunct faculty members Joseph Bransfield and Anthony Hanos for their work as club coaches. He also credited student leaders, such as Davis and Hartmann, for excelling in their roles as club officers.

The CCRI Cybersecurity Club prepares students for the industry on a professional and social level. In addition to competing in national competitions, students meet to talk about cyber news and participate in other cybersecurity-related activities. The club welcomes all students.