Cyber Leadership Development Program

Want to jumpstart your life and cyber career with experience in the government, military, intelligence community, national security, or defense industry? Want to bulk up your portfolio with the right certifications, put your name on the scoreboards at cyber competitions, and learn the newest cyber trends from cutting-edge conferences while you fulfill your degree?

The Cyber Leader Development Program (CLDP) provides both cadets and civilian students opportunities for scholarships, internships, certifications, conferences, competitions, and experiential programs in cybersecurity and strategic languages throughout their program of study, with additional cohort support in their junior and senior years. The U.S. Department of Defense has granted funding for these programs in order to compel and propel the nation's next generation of incoming operatives to a higher level.

dept-of-defense-seal.pngFunded By:
U.S. Department of Defense

Eligibility Requirements

  • Be a U.S. citizen
  • Age 18 years (at time of award)
  • Currently enrolled or accepted at UNG
  • Declared a major/minor/concentration in a cyber-related degree program
  • Maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA as an undergraduate
    (2.7 minimum GPA with a justification)
  • Be eligible to obtain a security clearance
  • Be interested in pursuing DoD cyber-related positions
  • Apply for the DoD CySP scholarship when eligible

Program Participation

A core pillar of these leadership programs is to inspire a passion for continual personal development. Leaders are expected to participate in activities that provoke valuable personal growth:

  • Community Cultivator: Actively participate in the CyberHawks, Cyber Unit, Women in Technology, or other security/intelligence-related club's meetings.
  • Good Sportsmanship: Each semester, compete in two or more cyber competitions. Competitions include: NSA Codebreaker, NSA Cyber Exercise, National Cyber League, CCDC, CPTC, Hack-a-Sat, DoE CyberForce, DEFCON, or any other capture-the-flag.
  • Thirsts for Knowledge: Each year, attend one or more cyber/intelligence/national security industry, academic conferences/symposiums, or UNG Summer Language Institutes. Conferences include: National Cyber Summit, ISC2 Security Congress, INSA/AFCEA TechNet, DEFCON, BlackHat, HackerHalted, or other related conferences/events.
  • Examines Opportunities: Students not seeking full-time employment must apply to at least two DoD cyber-related internships per year.
  • Proud to Impress: Seniors must apply to at least two full-time positions with the federal government, military, intelligence community, or defense industry.
  • Goal Focused: Complete a cyber-related capstone, major project, or conference submission by graduation.

How to Apply

  1. Complete the scholarship application form.
  2. Email a resumé in federal format to the Institute for Cyber Operations at cyber-institute@ung.edu.

Apply for the Cyber Leader Development Program

New to federal resumes?

    Follow these resumé writing resources:

Existing CLDP Recipients

  1. Self-report your progress as a CLDP recipient by the end of every month.
  2. Attend quarterly meetings at the Institute for Cyber Operations located at Cottrell 217.

Cyber Leader Progress Portal

Have any questions?
Send an email to cyber-institute@ung.edu.