TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs will visit Pima Community College’s East Campus on Thursday, Oct. 23, to announce a new partnership between the Arizona Department of Homeland Security (AZDOHS) and Pima Community College that state leaders say will strengthen Arizona’s cyber defenses and create expanded, hands-on training for students.
The announcement will launch Governor Hobbs’ Cybersecurity Talent Ready AZ Initiative and mark the opening of the Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC), the state’s first community college–based center dedicated to real-time cyber threat monitoring and workforce training. The center is housed at PCC’s Center of Excellence in Information Technology and Cybersecurity.
“This partnership with the Arizona Department of Homeland Security reinforces our shared commitment to preparing students for the high-demand cybersecurity workforce,” Pima Chancellor Dr. Jeffrey P. Nasse said in the release. Officials say the RSOC will allow students from Pima and the University of Arizona to work alongside state cybersecurity professionals, gaining experience monitoring and responding to live threats.
PCC student Eduardo Varela, who worked in the pilot program, called the RSOC “the single most formative experience in my career so far,” saying the opportunity has let him give back to his community while gaining professional skills.
Pima opened its Cybersecurity Center of Excellence in 2020 and has since nearly doubled enrollment in IT and cybersecurity programs. The college has also been designated by the U.S. National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense.
Governor Hobbs will be joined at the East Campus announcement by AZDOHS Director Dr. Kimberly O’Connor, Deputy Director and State Chief Information Security Officer Ryan Murray, Tucson Mayor Regina Romero, and PCC leaders including Provost Dr. Ian Roark and Governing Board Vice Chair Karla Bernal-Morales.
Event details: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025 — 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.; Governor’s remarks at 11:30 a.m. Location: Pima Community College, East Campus, L101 Community Room, 8181 E. Irvington Rd., Tucson.
