Gannon University Hackathon: A Combination of Virtual and Onsite Education Event to Recruit High-School Students within Cybersecurity Major

Hackathon is a popular event designated to boarder participation and perceptions in computing. With the fast growth of Cyber Security major at Gannon University, an innovative Hackathon event targeting high-school students was designed and deployed through both virtual and on-site forms. The virtual hackathon was developed based on OWASP Juice Shop, which was an open-source insecure web application. Students were expected to deploy and "hack" their own website. Scores were evaluated based on the difficulty of hacking tasks. The virtual event provided the maximal broadcasting of Gannon's Cyber Security. Either global or domestic high-school students got an opportunity to experience the challenges in Cyber Security. The on-site hackathon was a one-day event, with both lecturing and testing. Special topics in Cyber Security were delivered in depth. Students and parents had a chance to "meet the professor". Gannon University is hosting the Cyber Security Hackathon in the second year. The University administrators were impressed with the expansion of marketing impact and increment enrollments.