Students earn DOD Cyber Scholarship

The University of North Georgia (UNG) has two Department of Defense (DOD) Cyber Scholarship winners for the 2023-24 academic year, including UNG's first graduate student to earn the prestigious award. 

Fewer than 175 students nationwide were awarded these scholarships for 2023-24. 

UNG's graduate student winner receives full tuition and $32,000 for living expenses annually, while the undergraduate student receives full tuition and $27,000 for living expenses annually.  

"This nationally competitive scholarship for service empowers our hardest-working future cyber leaders to spend more time focusing on their coursework and sharpening their competitive cyber skills," Dr. Bryson Payne, professor of computer science and coordinator of student cyber programs, said. "Plus, after they graduate, these students have a civilian cyber job waiting for them with the Department of Defense. As a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, UNG is able to provide access to scholarships, internships and job opportunities that most universities can't offer." 

Because of the National Security Agency's (NSA) security requirements, recipients' names are not released. Payne was allowed to provide general facts about the scholars: 

• One is a Master of Science in computer science student who earned a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity from UNG in May 2023. He is scheduled to graduate in August 2024 with the master's degree and then work at the Naval Information Warfare Center in Charleston, South Carolina.  
• The other is pursuing a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity and a minor in criminal justice. He plans to work for the NSA upon his graduation in May 2024.  

The scholarship pays for summer internships and guarantees a job with the DOD for one year for each year of scholarship support received upon graduation. The DOD Cyber Scholarship is "designed to encourage the recruitment of the nation's top cyber talent and the retention of DOD personnel who have skills necessary to meet DOD's cyber requirements and help secure our nation against threats of information systems and networks," according to the DOD website. 

UNG is designated by the NSA and the Department of Homeland Security as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense. 

The mission of UNG's Institute for Cyber Operations is to develop highly capable cyber professionals and leaders for the private, nonprofit, military, and government sectors. UNG accomplishes this through innovative co-curricular opportunities, interdisciplinary research in emerging threats and solutions, relevant community outreach, and fostering a sustainable ecosystem to support cyber operations education.