UTCS has been named the recipient of a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) through the CyberCorps: Scholarship for Service (SFS) program.  The SFS program will support students pursuing the university’s INFOSEC (Information Security) Certificate who also have a desire to pursue careers in information assurance to protect the government’s critical information infrastructure. Participants will receive support in the form of scholarships for tuition and fees as well as a two-year living stipend. 

The SFS program integrates preparation for public service careers with the academic offerings and experiences provided to students in the INFOSEC certificate program. The University’s information security students will participate in SFS during their final two years as computer science undergraduates. Upon completing the program, students choose to work for a federal, state, tribal, or local government agency in a position focused on cybersecurity.

“We are thrilled to partner with the National Science Foundation on the Scholarship for Service grant. This opportunity provides our students with fantastic scholarships, along with internship and job opportunities in cybersecurity,” says Tiffany Grady, UTCS Associate Director of Academics.

This year’s inaugural SFS class will have four students in the program. Each student is expected to receive $61,392 over two years, covering tuition, stipend, and book allowance. In addition, health care insurance is covered if needed and a professional development allowance is available for students who would like to attend relevant conferences.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for students. Some will receive scholarships, but everyone pursuing the INFOSEC certificate will benefit from new courses we're adding to the curriculum," says Bruce Porter, UTCS Department Chair and Co-Principal Investigator for the NSF grant.

Currently, the grant runs through 2015-2016. If the first class of students is successful, UTCS will be able to extend the grant for an additional two years, receiving an extra $1 million to continue through 2017-2018.

“The government is extremely concerned with the current cybersecurity climate; this program is designed to train additional cybersecurity professionals with a willingness to consider public service,” says UTCS Senior Lecturer, Senior Research Scientist and Co-Principal Investigator for the NSF grant, Bill Young.

“I am extremely pleased with the quality of applicants and especially with the four excellent students in our first cohort.”