Thursday, May 1, 2014

START's Cyber Security Fellows Program Accepting Applications

START's Cyber Security Fellows Program (CySeF), is a comprehensive, one-year program designed for three undergraduate students at the University of Maryland. Students will enter the program at the beginning of their junior or senior years, and their program experiences are aimed to transition students from their undergraduate experiences to professional positions in the homeland security science and technology arena (HS-STEM), with particular emphasis on transition into positions related to cyber security.
Summary of Program Components

Students will participate in three program components:
  • A traditional classroom learning component, in which students will enroll in six credits of coursework on cybercrime and cyber security, and in three credits of coursework on terrorism;
  • An experiential learning component, in which students will participate in a part-time academic-year research assistantship and a full-time summer internship with a cyber-security research team at the University of Maryland; and
  • A customized program of career development activities designed to introduce students to career options in the field of homeland security and to help them develop and refine their professional skills.


Eligibility and Application Process

To be eligible to apply for the program, students must demonstrate the following:
  • Will be entering their junior or senior year in fall 2014, with intentions to be enrolled at Maryland full-time until graduation in spring 2015. (Preference will be given to seniors.)
  • Have and maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher, averaged over the student's full undergraduate career.
  • Be pursuing a major in a priority HS-STEM area.
  • Willingness and ability to complete all of the CySeF requirements presented above, including a commitment to one year of professional employment at a HS-STEM venue following graduation; and
  • U.S. citizenship.
Students who meet these eligibility criteria are invited to submit an online application to be considered for the CySeF program – applications must include the following (incomplete applications will not be considered):
  • One copy of the application form and essays – the application form will be available here when the application period is re-opened.
  • One copy of your unofficial transcript.
  • One copy of your resume, which should present your experiences relevant to homeland security.
  • A statement of financial aid received by the student for the past academic year (optional but recommended). (This financial aid information will not play a role in admission to the CySeF program which is need-blind. This is intended to help the education office better administer the scholarship from the beginning and to work with financial aid for the student.)
  • Submit two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a faculty member from the University of Maryland.
All application materials must be submitted by 9AM Monday May 16, 2014.
For more information about the program and the application, please visit: http://www.start.umd.edu/education/cyber-security-fellows-cysef-2013-2016