(ISC)2 Awards Nearly $100,000 in Cybersecurity Scholarships to Women, Undergraduate and Graduate Students

CLEARWATER, Fla., Sept. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- (ISC)² – the world's largest nonprofit association of certified cybersecurity professionals – today announced the recipients of its Women's Cybersecurity Scholarships, Undergraduate Cybersecurity Scholarships and Graduate Cybersecurity Scholarships.

This year, (ISC)² and the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, the association's charitable foundation, awarded 52 scholarships totaling $97,000. Recipients varied in gender, ethnicity and geographical location, with 73% of recipients identifying as non-White and 67% of the Undergraduate and Graduate scholarship recipients identifying as women.

Recipients are selected by (ISC)² members—certified cybersecurity professionals who volunteered their time to the scholarship program. Candidates are evaluated based on merit, passion for cybersecurity and financial need.

"Although the demand for cybersecurity professionals remains high, there are not enough professionals to fill the workforce gap," said Clar Rosso, CEO, (ISC)². "We want to inspire more people – especially younger people – to pursue a rewarding career in cybersecurity. Moving forward we will not only continue this scholarship legacy but significantly grow it, increasing our investment to drive a more diverse pool of candidates and recipients. We are committed to sparking young people's interest in cybersecurity and bringing more people into the profession."

(ISC)² Women's Scholarship Winners:

• Kamila Babayeva – Czech Technical University
• Tosin Bello – University of Fairfax
• Mariam Boguifo – George Washington University
• Lena Elkoussy – University of Michigan
• Abby Hackbarth – Embry Riddle Aeronautical University
• Kittson Hamill – University of Alabama
• Annabelle Klosterman – Dakota State University
• Maryam Mohammadpour
• Jasmine Roberts – Maryville University of St. Louis
• Lasya Sreenivasan – Carnegie Mellon University

"Receiving the (ISC)² Women's Scholarship is invaluable to me," said Kittson Hamill, an undergraduate student at the University of Alabama. "This scholarship has opened a world of opportunities for me as I was able to intern out of state, enroll in multiple summer classes, and now I can afford to focus on my studies rather than work multiple jobs. This scholarship has enabled me to continue my education and further my career, which I will always be extremely thankful for."

(ISC)² Undergraduate Cybersecurity Scholarship Winners:

• Diya Bansal – Cornell University
• Morgan Bryant – Georgia Institute of Technology
• Zachary Espiritu – Brown University
• Olivia Gallucci – Rochester Institute of Technolgoy
• Austin George – University of Cambridge
• Arushi Harkawat – University of Texas at Austin
• Joseph Hawkins – California State Polytechnic University Pomona
• Michael Hoefler – Carnegie Mellon University
• Stella Hong – Johns Hopkins University
• Mariel Klosterman – Dakota State University
• Matthew Leboffe – Carnegie Mellon University
• Sadie Levy – Northeastern University
• Erin Liu – California Institute of Technology
• Sloane Miller – North Carolina A&T State University
• Samina Mondal – University of Virginia
• Shiza Naiyer – Arizona State University
• Faith Spencer – Purdue University
• Brandon Staple – University of Colorado
• Sara Takhim – Northeastern University
• Vivian Yam – Northeastern University
• Weijia Yan – Texas A&M University

"It is an incredible honor to receive the (ISC)² Undergraduate Scholarship, and I am grateful to (ISC)² and its scholarship committee for this amazing opportunity to give back," said Mariel Klosterman, an undergraduate student at Dakota State University. " This scholarship supports my mission to become a cybersecurity leader who protects and defends my country from cyber threats, and influence others, especially the youth, to be cybersecurity-conscious."

(ISC)² Graduate Cybersecurity Scholarship Winners:

• Christine Anari – University of Derby
• Zion Basque – Arizona State University
• Collings Bunde – Strathmore University
• Jennie Christensen – Carnegie Mellon University
• Candelaria Cid Paolino – George Washington University
• Will Fair – Marymount University
• Jessica Gottsleben – Harvard University
• Angel Hsu – University of Texas San Antonio
• Johanna Jacob – Carnegie Mellon University
• Venkata Abhishek Kanthuru – Salve Regina University and NYU Tandon
• Bruck Kassahun – Central Michigan University
• Tshireletso Kgabi – EC-Council University
• Nikita Mishra – Carnegie Mellon University
• Vy Nguyen – University of Pennsylvania
• Nnamdi Nwosu – Unicaf University Zambia
• Ijeoma Olawale – University of Colorado Colorado Springs
• Ranjita Pai Kasturi – Georgia Institute of Technology
• Tanya Taplin – Dakota State University
• Kvitlana Tsap – Ryerson University
• Shamere Yearwood – Georgia Institute of Technology
• Chengzeng You – Imperial College London

"The (ISC)2 scholarship is not only an investment in my future but a donation to the future of cybersecurity in the Caribbean, as I seek to positively contribute to and grow the cybersecurity landscape in my home region," said Shamere Yearwood, a graduate student at Georgia Institute of Technology. "I want young black women to be able to see someone like themselves filling cybersecurity roles. I hope to inspire and encourage women like myself to join the industry, as I am very passionate about helping to close the diversity gap."

Congratulations to all scholarship recipients. More information on (ISC)² scholarships is available at: https://iamcybersafe.org/s/scholarships. Applications for 2022 (ISC)² scholarships will open on November 15, 2021 and close on March 7, 2022.

About the Center for Cyber Safety and Education
The Center for Cyber Safety and Education is a nonprofit charitable trust committed to making the cyber world a safer place for everyone. The Center works to ensure that people across the globe have a positive and safe experience online through their educational programs, scholarships, and research. Visit www.IAmCyberSafe.org for more information.

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 membership, more than 160,000 strong, is made up of 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 – 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. 

© 2021 (ISC)² Inc., (ISC)², CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CAP, CSSLP, HCISPP, CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CISSP-ISSMP and CBK are registered marks of (ISC)², Inc.

Media Contact:
Brian Alberti
Corporate Public Relations Manager
(ISC)²
[email protected]
(617) 510-1540

SOURCE (ISC)2

Related Links

http://www.isc2.org