DULLES, Va., March 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- College students from more than 220 schools across the country will showcase their defensive cyber skills during the 2017 National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition. Beginning with 10 regional contests in March and April, the teams will compete to show who can best protect a computer network against real-world cyber-attacks.

In addition to being the title sponsor for the next three years, Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) provides a variety of specialized technical resources, mentors, and employee volunteers to further develop the students' skills.

"NCCDC educates and inspires the next generation of cyber defenders and prepares them for the types of threats they will face and defend against in the real world," said Dave Wajsgras, president of Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business.

The 10 regional competitions take place on the dates below and regional winners will advance to the national tournament in San Antonio, Texas, on April 13-15.  

• March 10-11: Rocky Mountain CCDC, Regis University, Denver, Colo.
• March 17-19: Northeast CCDC, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, N.Y.
• March 17-19: Southwest CCDC, University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Okla.
• March 17-18: Mid-West CCDC, Moraine Valley Community College, Palos Hills, Ill.
• March 24-26: At Large CCDC, RAVE Lab (virtual/remote)
• March 24-26: Western CCDC, Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona, Calif.
• March 24-26: Pacific Rim CCDC, Highline Community College, Des Moines, Wash.
• March 30-April 1: Mid-Atlantic CCDC, Johns Hopkins University Physics Lab, Laurel, Md.
• April 1-2: North Central CCDC, Dakota State University, Madison, S.D.
• April 5-6: Southeast CCDC, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, Ga.

"Over 14,000 students have competed in CCDC events during the past 11 years. The skills they develop as they train and participate in CCDC help prepare them for careers in cybersecurity. Raytheon's involvement has been a key element in the continued growth of the CCDC program," said Dwayne Williams, director of NCCDC.

For more information about the competition, visit www.raytheoncyber.com and www.nccdc.org. To join the conversation on social media, use #NCCDC.

About Raytheon

Raytheon Company, with 2016 sales of $24 billion and 63,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 95 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter.

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SOURCE Raytheon Company