Equipping the next generation of cybersecurity professionals
Scholarship for Service students, November 2024. From left: Dr. Alex Schwarzmann,
Christopher Mason, Komal Bhullar, Tiana Turner, Jasen Magee, Kyle Austensen, Dr. Michael
Nowatkowski.
The federal CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) Program, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, is dedicated to recruiting and training
the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.
The SFS program provides scholarships for up to three years of support for cybersecurity
education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, among other incredible benefits available to student scholars.
Augusta University's Scholarship for Service program, AUDIENCE (Augusta University
Developing Immersive Experiences for Novel Cybersecurity Education), will support
undergraduate and graduate students through interaction with government and industry
partners, involvement in research, and participation in outreach activities. AUDIENCE
scholars at Augusta University will be paired with a faculty member for mentorship
opportunities by participation in activities such as BSides Augusta and collaborating
on research together.
We will start recruiting in February 2025 for students who will begin their junior
or senior year of undergraduate education, or graduate school in Fall 2025. Completed applications must be submitted by 16 April 2025.
Prospective SFS applicants must meet the following requirements:
United States citizenship or permanent residency of the United States.
Preparedness to obtain high-level security clearances required for potential jobs
and internships.
Enrollment (or accepted for enrollment) as a full-time student at Augusta University
and be within three years of graduation of a bachelors and/or masters degree with
a cybersecurity or cyber intelligence/cyber strategy focus.
Maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative undergraduate GPA and a 3.2 cumulative graduate
GPA.
Willingness to work for a period equal to the duration of the scholarship in the cybersecurity
mission of a government agency or other Office of Professional Management (OPM)-approved position.
Students must submit the following items in applying for the Scholarship for Service:
Resume highlighting any education and work experience relevant to cybersecurity. A
resume template is listed below if needed.
Awards, honors, and extracurricular activities
Complete pages 2-4 of the Student Questionnaire (linked below) and read the rest of
the document (Service Agreement). You will sign the document, along with the PI, when
you are selected for the program.
Two letters of reference, at least one from a current professor. Letters of reference
should address the following items:
- Academic/Work Ethic
- Ability to convey ideas orally and in writing
- Ability to work with others
- Attributes you feel the candidate possesses that make them a strong candidate
for the Scholarship for Service program. Examples include knowledge/skills in a certain
area, leadership qualities, active participation in an organization related to their
field of study, knowledge/interest in international relations (MAISS applicants);
rigorous thinking (logic and math), and coding quality/experience.
Essay questions. Please answer both questions, writing 1 to 1 ½ pages for each question.
Please describe a situation where you or someone you know were affected by an aspect
of cybersecurity, whether that was due to a vulnerability, a policy decision, or something
you learned. Explain why you are applying for this scholarship and how you can help
to improve cybersecurity for the United States.
The world is becoming increasingly connected as information technology becomes more
prevalent throughout society. Consider an example, such as the "Internet of Things"
linking even the smallest household appliances to the internet potentially creates
additional vulnerabilities and privacy issues, Artificial Intelligence becoming more
prevalent in everyday life, or the impact of quantum computing on security and cryptography.
What are some proposals you have for educating tomorrow's cybersecurity workforce
to better deal with these concerns?
Each essay should be written in a professional tone to demonstrate knowledge of professional
skills and nomenclature in describing real life events and plans.
In addition to these items, an interview will also be conducted with the scholarship
candidate.
