Towson University received a $2 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s CyberCorps Program.
The grant will offer scholarship money to students who are pursuing studies in computer science with a track in computer security.
The CyberCorps program combats one of the most important issues confronting society in the information age: cyberspace security, according to Shiva Azadegan, the principal investigator of the grant and director of the computer science program at Towson.
The Internet allows society to obtain information and reconnect with family and friends regardless of distance and location, she said. The downside, however, is that personal information and someone’s identification could be stolen anonymously online.
Blake Joynes, a computer science major, said that he will apply for the scholarship.
“It’s a good opportunity to get experience in computer science for free,” he said.
Azadegan, said that CyberCorps will begin awarding two-year scholarships to 30 qualified students in the fall of 2013. She said that the grant will be in effect for the next five years.
The students selected for the scholarship will receive full tuition, books, a stipend of $20,000, $1,200 in health insurance and $3,000 travel allowance to professional conferences. After graduation, students are required to work for a federal, state or local government position related to cyber security for a period equal to the length of the scholarship.
Prospective grant recipient are required to compose a proposal that addresses workforce development and cyber security education. Professors in the department of computer and information sciences wrote Towson University’s proposal.
Eligible students must be a junior or senior with a grade point average of at least 3.5. They must also be a citizen of the United States, and must be willing to undergo a background check by the federal government.