SPRINGFIELD — A new Springfield Technical Community College cybersecurity center is named after U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal.

The Richard E. Neal Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is billed as a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to advancing education and innovation in the field of cybersecurity and protecting against security threats.

The center, named in honor of Neal for his commitment to leading-edge cybersecurity education and the betterment of Springfield Union Station, is set to become a cornerstone for training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

The center officially opened Sept. 16 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Union Station attended by Neal, STCC President John B. Cook, Springfield Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) CEO Carolyn Kirk, CyberTrust Massachusetts CEO Peter Sherlock and partners from the Legislature, academia and industry.

The event showcased a regional commitment to addressing the growing demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals, as well as affordable cyber services and resiliency resources for municipalities, companies and nonprofit organizations.

Neal led a funding effort in 2023 that resulted in $3 million in congressionally directed spending to establish the Cybersecurity Center, as well as an additional $2 million in state and local funding.

The Union Station-located Center is a collaboration between STCC, the Springfield Redevelopment Authority, MassTech, and CyberTrust Massachusetts and will serve as a regional nexus, giving students the resources to learn how to combat threats and strengthening the resiliency of cybersecurity in western Massachusetts.

“I’ve committed much of my career in public life to saving this building, securing tens of millions of dollars in federal funding to refurbish what is a pillar in Springfield’s downtown,” Neal said in a statement. “Now, 51 years after Union Station closed its doors, I am grateful to have a small piece of this building named in my honor — an honor that I never sought.

The 6,000-square-foot facility includes a Cyber Range, a simulated cyber environment for student training and exercises, and a Security Operations Center (SOC), which provides real time detection and response to local municipalities and businesses.

The Center at Springfield Union Station is one of three SOC and/or Cyber Range facilities in Massachusetts currently open and running that were established as part of the state’s Cyber Security Operations Center and Cyber Range Initiative (SOC-Range Initiative).