The federal CyberCorps is designed to increase the numbers of information assurance professionals that protect the government's critical information infrastructure.

Scholarship For Service (SFS) participants receive stipends of $22,500 for undergraduate students and $34,000 for graduate students. The scholarships are funded through grants awarded by the National Science Foundation.

Hampton University has been part of this unique program for some time. In 2018, its cybersecurity graduate program was ranked as "one of the best" in the United States, according to CyberSecurityMastersDegree dot org.

“Hampton has been among the schools setting the pace in Virginia when it comes to computer science,” the citation read. “Hampton is also the alma mater of Mary Jackson, the NASA engineer made famous in the book and movie Hidden Figures.

“The school continues to have strong ties to the space agency, with guest speakers coming in to lecture students in the science departments. The school also has other strong collegiate and corporate partnerships, with many internship opportunities for MSIA (Master of Science in Information Assurance and Cyber Security students) to gain valuable real-world experience.”

Recently, Hampton University cybersecurity and information assurance students expressed their thoughts about the increasingly important concern for government agencies, defense contractors, biotech research firms with regard to Homeland Security.

“The meeting was an awesome opportunity for Hampton faculty and students,” said Dr. Jean Muhammad, chair of the Department of Computer Science (sitting center in above photo). “Sen. Kaine provided insight on the need for cybersecurity skills in both state and federal governments. He acknowledged the need for underrepresented minorities in STEM and in particular cyber. The students had the prestigious opportunity to discuss their research and both current and future career opportunities in the field of cybersecurity.”

Kaine commended the students for their achievements and understanding of computer network security principles, human behavior, systems, cyber forensics, and the strategies and agencies (federal and state) that are needed to secure the nation from cyber attacks. Kaine also stressed the importance of cultivating more students to get into the field.

The Scholarship for Service Program (SFS) Program, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, provides generous scholarships for students interested in careers in cybersecurity and national service.