Posted on October 26, 2026 by Anastasia Cisneros-Lunsford
Students from across the region will explore cybersecurity careers, build hands-on skills and connect with industry professionals at the student-led Rowdy CyberCon on Nov. 7.
Students from across the region will have an opportunity to explore cybersecurity careers, develop practical skills and connect with industry professionals when the student-led Rowdy CyberCon kicks off Nov. 7 at The University of Texas at San Antonio.
The daylong conference will be held at San Pedro I and San Pedro II, home to the College of AI, Cyber and Computing. Conference Director Drew Day said student organizers are working to expand participation among colleges and universities throughout the region to strengthen the broader cybersecurity community.
“Even if you’re interested in other tech-related fields, (the conference) is a good place to come and learn security skills,” said Day, a cybersecurity and information systems dual major.
The conference is expected to attract more than 500 students from area colleges and universities. Organizers are also broadening participation beyond UT San Antonio through a campaign that has engaged colleges and universities across the region, including Texas A&M University-San Antonio, University of the Incarnate Word, Trinity University, St. Mary’s University, St. Philip’s College and other institutions.
Alongside its traditional lineup of workshops, keynote presentations and Capture the Flag challenges, Rowdy CyberCon is introducing new interactive attractions intended to broaden participation and create a more engaging conference experience.
“We want to elevate the experience for attendees with a couple of different fun activities to experience as well,” Day said.
One addition is a hacker esports competition that combines Rocket League, a soccer-style video game played with rocket-powered cars, with cybersecurity challenges. Teams will compete in the game while designated participants complete cybersecurity tasks that can influence gameplay.
Organizers are also introducing StarSec, a competition developed with the Cyber Jedis student organization. The event will simulate cybersecurity operations through a Star Wars-themed battle environment in which cyber actions are visualized as spacecraft combat.
Opportunities for students to engage directly with industry representatives and professional organizations have been a big draw for the event. Companies and organizations expected to participate include Motorola Solutions, Alamo ISSA and ISACA San Antonio, with organizers also working to confirm additional participants.
Representatives from ISACA and ISSA, two local associations focused on cybersecurity, will help lead professional development activities such as resume reviews and mock interviews.
“Students will have a chance to speak with people in the industry, get their advice, while participating in the workshops,” Day said.
A central feature of the conference is its Capture the Flag competition, where teams solve cybersecurity challenges that mirror real-world security tasks. Day said the competition allows students to gain hands-on experience using tools and techniques commonly found in professional cybersecurity environments.
“(The competition) helps to give you experience with the tools that are commonly used in the industry,” Day said. “You can put them on your resume or talk about them in an interview as having experience and point to certain cases where you have used them before.”
Conference organizers are also exploring adding research presentations and poster sessions that feature cybersecurity research from faculty members and doctoral students.
The conference is free to attend and students can register through the Rowdy CyberCon website.
— Anastasia Cisneros-Lunsford
