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 federalCyberCorps® 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 incrediblebenefitsavailable 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 agovernment agencyor 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.
