MCC Cyber Dream Team: A Fusion of Talent Wins First Place

Feb. 14, 2025

A team of McLennan Community College (MCC) students proved their cybersecurity expertise by securing first place at the inaugural Cybersecurity Interdisciplinary Incident Response Competition (CIIRC), held earlier in the school year. The MCC team competed against universities, including Baylor University and Texas A&M, in an intense, three-day competition.

The event, designed to simulate real-world cyber crisis scenarios, tested students' ability to respond to a cyberattack from multiple perspectives—technical, legal, business and public relations. Competitors were challenged to analyze security breaches, determine recovery strategies, assess financial and reputational risks, manage press conferences and report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) per regulatory standards.

“This competition was about more than just cybersecurity—it required strategic thinking, teamwork and an understanding of how different disciplines come together to address real-world cyber incidents,” CIS Program Director Jeremy McCormick said. “Our students demonstrated an incredible ability to adapt, problem-solve, and work across fields—exactly what the industry needs today.”

MCC’s team of five students come from diverse academic backgrounds, including supply chain management, global logistics, paralegal studies, network administration and cybersecurity. The team was led by CIS Professor Joshua Sullwold and CIS Program Director Jeremy McCormick at MCC.

The CIIRC competition was developed over the past two years through the Central Texas Cyber Initiative (CTCI), a Department of Education-funded collaboration between MCC and Baylor University. This year’s competition marked its official launch, with organizers hoping to expand the event into a premier national competition.

Left to right): Jeremy McCormick, CIS Professor, Arturo Palacios, Cyber Lead - AAS Network Administration with Cybersecurity; Cevin Mitchell, Team Captain and Business Lead - AAS Supply Chain and Global Logistics, Kyra Doyle, Legal - AAS Paralegal Studies; Sam Woods, IT Support - CERT Network Administration with Cybersecurity,
Caleb Packard, Cyber Technician - AAS Network Administration with Cybersecurity & Joshua Sullwold, CIS Professor - Team Coach