DSU, Google Celebrate Grand Opening of Cybersecurity Clinic to Train South Dakotans
June 18, 2025
Today Dakota State University (DSU) and Google celebrated the grand opening of the DSU Cybersecurity Clinic and announced its services will extend to towns and cities, small businesses, small utilities, and more. Established through a $1 million grant from Google.org, the clinic will reach thousands of people in the community by extending services to rural water districts, nonprofits, K-12 schools, and other community-based organizations over the last year.
The clinic comes at a crucial time, as the average global cost of a data breach in the U.S. grew by 10% in 2024. Meanwhile, there are nearly half a million unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the U.S. DSU's cyber clinic will play a critical role in addressing this gap, empowering more individuals with the essential skills needed to protect valuable data.
Today's event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony and a cybersecurity career panel, highlighting the clinic's impact since it began work last fall, and the need for a skilled cybersecurity workforce. Speakers included DSU President José-Marie Griffiths, Lieutenant Governor Tony Venhuizen, Representative Dusty Johnson, Chad Knutson of SBS CyberSecurity, and Google engineer and former DSU professor Josh Stroschein. The audience included community members who have benefited from the clinic's services, DSU cybersecurity students and faculty, and 100+ middle school students attending a summer cyber camp sponsored by the National Security Agency (NSA).
To help train the next generation to be safe online, the middle school students also participated in Highlights for Children activities, based on a special internet safety issue of the magazine, which was co-created with Google using the company’s kid-friendly Be Internet Awesome curriculum. The programming included educational games and puzzles about how to create a safe and strong password, why it’s important to take breaks from screens and the value of being kind online.
“Cybersecurity is one of the defining challenges of our time,” said Tony Venhuizen, Lieutenant Governor of South Dakota. “South Dakota is proud to be part of shaping the solution, by supporting institutions like DSU and encouraging students to step forward as future leaders in cyber defense.”
"Cybersecurity is national security," stated Rep. Dusty Johnson. "If we want to stay ahead of adversaries, we need smart, capable people entering this field – and that starts with programs like the one at DSU. This is how we win the long game."
"Google.org is incredibly proud to collaborate with Dakota State University's Cybersecurity Clinic," said Josh Stroschein, Security Engineer at Google. "Their commitment to providing vital cyber defense services to local communities, while simultaneously cultivating the next generation of security talent, directly aligns with our mission to make the digital world safer for everyone. This collaboration bridges the gap between academic learning and real-world application, equipping students with the practical skills needed to combat evolving cyber threats.”
DSU’s Cybersecurity Clinic was announced in June 2024 and is part of a nationwide collaboration with the Google and Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics. Beyond financial support, Google also provides DSU with volunteer mentorship from Google employees, Google Titan Security Keys, and scholarships for the Google Career Certificate in Cybersecurity. DSU’s collaboration with Google has enabled it to significantly expand its capacity. The clinic has also hired more students to work alongside professionals on Project Boundary Fence--an initiative that provides local governments with crucial cybersecurity risk assessments and penetration testing, offering students invaluable hands-on learning while expanding the clinic's ability to help more organizations.
"Today, we're reaching schools, medical centers, small businesses, nonprofits, local governments, individuals, and more – delivering real-world cybersecurity support where it's most needed," said Dr. Ashley Podhradsky, DSU Vice President of Research and Economic Development.
As one of just 25 Google-funded clinics nationwide, DSU is at the forefront of training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. DSU's Cybersecurity Clinic operates much like law or medical school clinics, offering free security services to the community. This model not only protects vital infrastructure—such as hospitals, schools, and energy grids—but also provides DSU students with real-world experience, preparing them to tackle complex cyber threats.
About Dakota State University (DSU)
Dakota State University (DSU), located in Madison, S.D., was founded in 1881. DSU offers undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs through its colleges of arts and sciences, business and information systems, computer and cyber sciences, and education. DSU uniquely focuses on the development, application, and impact of computing, information technologies, and cybersecurity. The university holds Center of Academic Excellence designations in cyber defense, cyber operation, and cyber research from the U.S. National Security Agency and U.S. Department of Homeland Security. DSU is also home to Madison Cyber Labs (MadLabs®), a leading cyber R&D hub, and has a growing Applied Research Lab. For more information, visit dsu.edu.
About Google
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Google Cloud, Chrome and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google.org, Google’s philanthropy, brings the best of Google to help solve some of humanity’s biggest challenges combining funding, innovation, and technical expertise to support underserved communities and provide opportunity for everyone. To date, Google has partnered with over 30 organizations in the state to train 22,000+ South Dakotans on digital skills.