Center for Cyber Safety and Education Awards $174,000 in Cybersecurity Scholarships

Scholarship program provides financial support to aspiring cybersecurity professionals globally, helping to diversify the field and fill the cyber workforce gap

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 3, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Cyber Safety and Education, the charitable foundation of nonprofit membership association (ISC)², has announced the award recipients of its 2023 scholarship program. This year, scholarships totaling $174,000 will be provided to 61 cybersecurity students, carefully selected for their academic excellence, financial need and passion for the industry. The program improves access to the cybersecurity profession by removing financial barriers to education and fosters greater diversity within the field.

Established in 2011, the Center for Cyber Safety and Education's scholarship program is one of the world's leading providers of cybersecurity scholarships, having awarded more than 760 students over the past 12 years. This year, students will receive the (ISC)² Undergraduate, Graduate, and Women's Scholarships, as well as scholarships from additional sponsors Raytheon Technologies, KnowBe4, and Octillo.

Scholarship applications for 2023 were higher than ever before, with a total of 1,656 applicants to date. More than 61% of the applicants were women and more than 71% identified as from an underrepresented group, demonstrating increased interest from a diverse pool of individuals in pursuing a career in cybersecurity.

"The Center for Cyber Safety and Education is honored to support our rising stars of the future in their paths to a rewarding career in this critically important field," said Holly Schneider Brown, Center Senior Director. "With our program, we aim to diversify the industry and bridge the cyber workforce gap, which stands at 3.4 million professionals, by providing students from all backgrounds with the opportunity and resources they need to succeed."

As part of their scholarship, recipients can obtain the entry-level Certified in Cybersecurity certification for free through the (ISC)² One Million Certified in Cybersecurity program. The scholarship program also enables recipients to get hands-on advice from experienced cybersecurity professionals, and past scholarship recipients, as well gain access to information about internship and career opportunities.

"Receiving the Undergraduate Scholarship from (ISC)² and the Center for Cyber Safety and Education is an honor," said Rachel Pao, a student at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, studying computer science and cybersecurity. "This award provides financial support for my studies, connects me to a network of professionals, and allows me to attain highly valuable certifications."

(ISC)² Undergraduate Cybersecurity Scholarship Recipients:

• Diya Bansal
• Kovidh Gandreti
• Austin George
• Vivian Green
• Benjamin Hale
• Miguel Hernandez
• Rhea Jethvani
• Henry Jiang
• Shanelle Kan
• Shaun Karani
• Mariami Kentchadze
• Zachary Kirkeby
• Veronika Kyles
• Barrett Lee
• Lexie Madlem
• Alexander Mages
• Zachary Mahboub
• Michael Owen
• Rachel Pao
• Puja Reddy Teakulapalli
• Abigail Terhoeve
• Alex Zhang

(ISC)² Graduate Cybersecurity Scholarship Recipients:

• Samuel Ashaolu
• Tin Aung Yin
• Zion Basque
• Christopher Buck
• Collins Bunde
• Jay Connolly
• Antoinette Dickens
• Mohammad Eshan
• Habiba Farzand
• Sonia Fereidooni
• Rupal Jain
• Kush Janani
• Oluwabunmi Layode
• Jyotsna Masand
• Fernanda Molina
• Dheeraj Nayak
• Vivian Olatunji
• Joel Omoleye
• Roshan Poudel
• Vibha Puthran
• Vaibhav Zaveri

(ISC)² Women's Cybersecurity Scholarship Recipients:

• Jasmin Azan
• Kimberly Cummings
• Trevor Gardner
• Kushi Jakati
• Phalan Klein
• Betta Lyon-Delsordo
• Priyanka Mall
• Erin Murphy
• Ragashree Mysuru Chandrashekar
• Jasmine Sciarillo

The Raytheon Technologies Scholarship Recipients:

• Lily Chen
• Eirik Marquez
• Veronica Vergara

KnowBe4 Scholarship Recipients:

• Sara Takhim
• Nickson Njau

Octillo Scholarship Recipient:

• Veronica Pimenova

The Center for Cyber Safety and Education is currently accepting applications for the KnowBe4 Women of Colour in Cybersecurity (South Africa) Scholarship and the KnowBe4 Veterans, Guard, Reserve and Spouse Cybersecurity Scholarship.

For more information on future (ISC)² scholarship opportunities and to view application dates for 2024, please visit https://www.iamcybersafe.org/s/scholarships.

About the Center for Cyber Safety and Education
The Center for Cyber Safety and Education, formerly (ISC)² Foundation, is a non-profit charity formed by (ISC)² in 2011 as a means to reach the general public and empower students, parents, teachers and members of society across all age groups and demographics to secure their online life with cybersecurity education and awareness programs. The Center breaks down barriers in exposure and access to the cyber profession and provides opportunities for underserved individuals, groups, and organizations to benefit from the commitment of (ISC)² to the profession.
Visit www.iamcybersafe.org.

About (ISC)²
(ISC)² is an international nonprofit membership association focused on inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. Best known for the acclaimed Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP^®) certification, (ISC)² offers a portfolio of credentials that are part of a holistic, pragmatic approach to security. Our association of candidates, associates and members, more than 500,000 strong, is made up of certified cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals who are making a difference and helping to advance the industry. Our vision is supported by our commitment to educate and reach the general public through our charitable foundation – The Center for Cyber Safety and Education™. For more information on (ISC)², visit www.isc2.org, follow us on Twitter or connect with us on Facebook and LinkedIn.

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Media Contact: 
Amanda Steinman 
Senior PR Manager 
(ISC)² 
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SOURCE (ISC)2