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V O L . X X X N O. X I V J U N E 2 4 , 2 0 2 4 20 H I G H E R E D U C A T I O N / P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E L O P M E N T F O C U S "We're meeting people where they are," she says. "Say you live in Ellsworth and you plan to stay and work in Ellsworth, but you're at a point in your life where you've identified that you can do something that you've wanted to do your whole life. But your family can't just uproot and live in Augusta. Now these stu- dents can enroll in our nursing program in Ellsworth." e satellite locations are equipped with simula- tion labs for the program's foundational courses. For higher-level simulation, they travel to Augusta. "We want to make sure all the students, regard- less of their location, have the same experience," says Gauvin. For renovation and fit-up, it's about implement- ing a holistic flow that prepares students with skills in clinical practice, communication, critical thinking and writing, research and leadership. "We approach our students in the same manner that we expect them to approach the patients they care for," she says. Cyber range UMA's cybersecurity program, at the Randall Student Center on the main campus, includes a virtual "cyber range" — essentially, a simulation lab for cybersecurity. e program was established about 10 years ago. About five years ago, UMA acquired the cyber range, made by a company called Cyberbit. Operating in the cloud, the range provides train- ing opportunities as an immersive simulation center using commercially licensed security products and the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity to help them build their skills on how to best detect, respond and prevent cyber incidents. e UMA program also received funding to work with industries and local and state govern- ment agencies to model their networks and to cre- ate custom scenarios, and then provide cybersecu- rity training to those industries. For example, the technology can simulate a net- work that mimics the complexities of a real net- work, then generate attacks on and insert malware into the network. e program is already working with munici- palities and private industry and has worked with the U.S. Coast Guard in Portland. Training is conducted by master's or fourth-year baccalaureate students, overseen by faculty. Training may be con- ducted at the employee worksite or at UMA. About 3,000 square feet will be allotted to the cybersecurity program, a substantial increase from its current 150-square-foot space and an opportunity to expand employee training access. "Most Maine municipalities have one or two IT people,' says Brenda McAleer, UMA's associate provost and dean of the college of professional stud- ies who oversees the cybersecurity and the nursing programs and is on the committee working on the Capital Center renovations. "We don't have the resources to send people, say, to Dixfield. at IT person could maybe spend one day in Augusta, with others from other municipali- ties, and all train at the same time." About 160 students are enrolled in the cyberse- curity program. Like UMA students in general, the majority are non-traditional — many work, some might want to switch careers, others already work- ing in their company's IT department are looking to upgrade their skills. "We'll grow it slowly and modestly, because we have to have qualified faculty, and finding faculty is one of our challenges," says Henry. e Capital Center will build on UMA's existing capabilities, says Cushman. at includes flexible and technologically-facilitated distance-learning options, along with the ability to add programs as needed when there's a workforce need. "e Capital Center will build on these strengths," says Cushman. Says Henry, "is really helps us fast-track work- force development. Cybersecurity, nursing and other fields we offer are in high demand in Maine." L a u r i e S c h r e i b e r , M a i n e b i z s e n i o r w r i t e r , c a n b e r e a c h e d a t l s c h r e i b e r @ m a i n e b i z . b i z Design details T he Capital Center's programming and design, still to be finalized, is being led by Lavallee Brensinger Architects of Boston, Manchester, N.H., and Portland. The design team includes Richard Pizzi, who special- izes in medical education and health care. The nursing program is the largest occupant of the building. The program includes three large skills assessment labs, which include simulation-based training at the bed stations. There are three indi- vidual patient room labs and one medication room lab, designed to simulate a variety of acute health care environments. Each lab is equipped with human patient simulators, also called mannequins, to pro- vide an enhanced learning experience. A classroom accommodates skills-based tabletop training. A flexible virtual reality lab provides an immer- sive environment. The simulation labs are also sup- ported by debriefing rooms and ample storage space. "The idea is that, when you're going through a simulated patient encounter, the experience wants to feel as real as possible," says Pizzi. The cybersecurity portion incorporates flexible spaces with a computer lab and cybersecurity lab to simulate an operations center with a simulated server room. Overall, "It's a really great example of how a for- mer retail building, in a great location with acces- sible parking and with good bones, can be adapted to, essentially, a cutting-edge education and training space and will have another useful life," says Pizzi. P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY The University of Maine at Augusta is renovating space at the Marketplace for the Capital Center in Augusta. FUNDING Funding for the $6.3 million Capital Center included: $1.8 million allocated to UMA from $4.5 million in FY2023 congressionally directed spending to improve nursing simulation across the University of Maine System. $4.5 million in FY2024 congressionally directed spending to build the Capital Center. $480,000 over four years from MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta to expand the nursing program. » C O N T I N U E D F RO M P R E V I O U S PA G E We approach our students in the same manner that we expect them to approach the patients they care for. — Shannon Gauvin University of Maine at Augusta

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