US flag   Official website of the Department of Homeland Security

Cyber Citizen Forums


We Need You!

Stop. Think. Connect.

The Stop.Think.Connect. Campaign wants YOU to host Cyber Citizen Forums in your community. The Campaign has partnered with community centers, school districts, colleges and universities across the country to prompt dialogue and inspire action to support the goals of Stop.Think.Connect. The Campaign welcomes anyone or any group to participate. Below we provide you with our materials to host an event.

Back To Top


Spread the Message

hand-drawn stop. think. connect.

Many parent, kids and university groups have successfully hosted Cyber Citizen Forums. See some of their successes below:

  • "During the forum, we discussed many simple steps we can take to protect cyber safety. All of us share the responsibility to promote a safer cyberspace and to protect ourselves from identity theft and cyber crime." – Southern Polytechnic State University student comment after forum held on March 22, 2011
  • After a forum held in their community, the Saline (Michigan) School District held their own Stop.Think.Connect. Parents Evening on May 4, 2011 to help inform parents on how to teach their children safe cyber habits.

Centers of Academic Excellence

The Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency have joined together to sponsor Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE). These Centers provide and promote education and research in information assurance – and contribute to the Cyber Citizen Forums.

CAE helps the Department in its effort to ensure Americans better understand the risks associated with cyber and the solutions they can employ to be safer and more secure online. An essential strategy of the Stop.Think.Connect. Campaign is to leverage the work of CAE's and the role they play in the cybersecurity of our nation.

Back To Top


Why Forums?

Cyber Citizen Forums provide a platform to bring together an array of individuals and organizations that could include university students and leaders, high school students, as well as representatives from the federal government, community-based organizations, and the private sector to promote dialogue and collaboration on cybersecurity issues. 

Education and professional development are critical components to the success of building and preparing cybersecurity leaders of the future. Engaging CAE’s with the Campaign offers the Department the benefit of working with some of the best and brightest minds in the cybersecurity arena, and allows us to showcase the important role of education and academia in ensuring our nation’s cybersecurity.

Back To Top


Cyber Citizen Forum Planning Toolkit

We want to encourage academic institutions – colleges, universities, high schools – to consider planning and hosting Cyber Citizen Forums on their campuses and in their communities.

While the Department would like to be involved in as many Cyber Citizen Forums as possible, we don’t want our schedules to hold things up. So we’re sharing our Forum Toolkit with you and encouraging you to use these free resources to help you plan and host your own Stop.Think.Connect. Cyber Citizen Forum.

Back To Top


Past Forums

  • February 7, 2011 - National University, San Diego, Calif.
  • March 22, 2011 - Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, Ga.
  • March 23, 2011 - University of Memphis, Memphis, Tenn.
  • March 29, 2011 - St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn.
  • April 1, 2011 - Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Va.
  • April 5, 2011 - University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, Mich.
  • April 5, 2011 - Walsh College, Troy, Mich.
  • April 12, 2011 - University of Dallas, Frisco, Texas
  • April 13, 2011 - Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, Texas
  • April 21, 2011 - Regis University, Denver, Colo.
  • April 26, 2011 - Eastern Michigan University, Ypsilanti, Mich.
  • April 27, 2011 - Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
  • April 28, 2011 - Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio
  • April 29, 2011 - Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
  • May 25, 2011 – Kansas University, Lawrence, Kan.
  • September 7, 2011 – University of Illinois at Springfield, Springfield, Ill.
  • September 8, 2011 – Illinois State University, Normal, Ill.
  • September 8, 2011 – Lewis University, Romeoville, Ill.
  • September 9, 2011 – Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, Minn.
  • September 27, 2011 – University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan.
  • September 28, 2011 – Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
  • September 28, 2011 – University of Dallas, Dallas, Texas
  • September 29, 2011 – Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma City, Okla.
  • October 5, 2011 - Jackson Community College, Jackson, Mich.
  • October 7, 2011 - University of Maryland - College Park, Md.
  • October 12, 2011 - North Carolina State University - Raleigh, N.C.
  • October 13, 2011 - Florida Institute of Technology - Melbourne, Fla.
  • October 26, 2011 - University of New Mexico - albuquerque, N.M.
  • October 26, 2011 - New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology - Socorro, N.M.
  • October 27, 2011 - University of Arizona - Tucson, Ariz.

Sign up to Stay Informed

Want to find out when there's a forum being held in your area? Sign up to be notified via e-mail when more forum dates are added.

Back To Top

If you or your school is interested in organizing and hosting a Cyber Citizen Forum, please e-mail the Campaign at stopthinkconnect@dhs.gov and a representative from the Campaign will get back to you.

Back to Top