The United States' largest and most secret intelligence agency is adding Mississippi State to a select public list it maintains.

The National Security Agency recently invited MSU to join 22 other schools in its Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education program. Carnegie-Mellon and Georgia Tech universities and the U.S. Military Academy are among the others in the group.

NSA officials established the assistance program two years ago as a way to encourage American higher education's help in overcoming a national shortage of computer specialists trained in information systems security.

MSU and the other centers will be recognized formally in a May 23 program at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.

Inclusion in the centers of excellence program "recognizes that Mississippi State has reached a high level of success in the area of computer security," said computer scientist Rayford Vaughn.

Often referred to as the Puzzle Palace, NSA has its headquarters at Ft. Meade, Md., and a second major facility at Menwith Hill, England.