Future cybersecurity leaders shine at ninth annual Raymond James Capture the Flag event
Raymond James welcomed top collegiate cybersecurity talent to its St. Petersburg headquarters for the ninth annual Capture the Flag (CTF) competition, continuing a tradition of fostering innovation and building connections between students, faculty and industry leaders.
This year’s event brought together 14 university teams from across North America, competing in a fast-paced challenge designed to test technical skills, problem-solving and teamwork. The competition featured schools such as the University of Central Florida, University of South Florida, Purdue University, Duke University and Penn State University, among others.
A day of learning and engagement
While students battled for the top spot, faculty advisors and sponsors participated in a dedicated Faculty Advisor Track, which included:
- Keynote address by Todd Ferguson, Raymond James senior vice president and chief IT security officer, who shared insights on the evolving cybersecurity landscape
- A presentation from Evetta Davis, IT LEaD associate director, highlighting the IT Campus Talent Pathway and opportunities for emerging professionals
- A thought-provoking panel discussion featuring experts from Intel, HP, Proofpoint and Insight on the topic of Insider Threat
- Research presentations from faculty at the University of Tampa, showcasing academic contributions to cybersecurity
Celebrating team achievements
In addition to crowning the top three winners, Raymond James recognized standout teams for creativity and collaboration:
- Best Team Spirit: Penn State University
- Best Team Name/Logo: University of Florida
- Most Efficient Code: Duke University
Competition results
- First place: University of Central Florida – Knightsec ($10,000 prize)
- Second place: University of South Florida – USF CyberHerd ($5,000 prize)
- Third place: Purdue University – b01lers ($2,500 prize)
About Capture the Flag
The teams worked throughout the day to complete multiple challenges based on real-world threat scenarios facing firms in the financial sector. During the event, students were evaluated on core Raymond James behaviors, as well as subject-matter passion, teamwork and collaboration. In addition to providing a hands-on educational opportunity, the Capture the Flag competition helps to identify top students for our IT Accelerated Development Program roles and IT internships.
The Capture the Flag event underscores the commitment Raymond James has made to advancing cybersecurity education and building a strong talent pipeline. By connecting students, faculty and industry professionals, we help prepare the next generation of cybersecurity leaders for the challenges ahead.
Thank you
The success of the event was made possible by the support of our sponsors, including Ping, NetSPI, Palo Alto, Resolve, Box, Rubrik, TEKsystems, CDW/SailPoint, Insight, Intel, Proofpoint and HP. Nearly 40 Raymond James associates volunteered their time and expertise, with some traveling from as far as Canada to ensure a seamless experience for participants.
Raymond James is not affiliated with the list of event sponsors.
About the Raymond James Information Technology department
Information Technology supports the firm through a variety of strategic solutions that offer greater business efficiency, ensure data security and privacy and support new business opportunities. Positions run the gamut from software engineers to project managers, analysts and more.
IT Recruiting
IT at Raymond James constantly strives to recruit strong talent to protect the firm and our clients’ data from nefarious threat actors and advisories. Raymond James has a very successful program already in place called Accelerated Development Program, targeted at recruiting top undergraduate and graduate talent with leadership potential.