CyberCorps: Principled Leaders with Cybersecurity Expertise

Citadel Military College Of South Carolina, Charleston SC

Investigators

Abstract

This new project addresses the need for cybersecurity experts with different backgrounds by supporting students who will pursue academic programs in Computer Science, Criminal Justice, and Intelligence and Security Studies along with a minor in cybersecurity. The project represents a college-wide effort that will combine resources and expertise from the newly created Department of Cyber and Computer Sciences, Department of Criminal Justice, Department of Intelligence and Security Studies, Center for Cyber, Intelligence and Secure Studies, STEM Center of Excellence, Academic Support Center, Office of Admissions, and Career Services. Specific efforts will be made to attract a diverse population, in particular to recruit women and underrepresented minorities. This is the first CyberCorps project in the state of South Carolina and is therefore uniquely positioned to serve the Lowcountry area including the nearby Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic. The outcome of the proposed project will be a pool of principled leaders to meet the nation's cybersecurity workforce needs. The Citadel has been designated as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education by the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security. This project will use the existing Citadel Scholars program framework to recruit academically talented students and will strive to increase the number of women and minorities in cybersecurity. To retain these students, the project will leverage institutional support through the Student Success Center and mentoring activities. Students will pursue a cybersecurity education program that incorporates Computer Science, Criminal Justice, and Intelligence and Security Studies in the context of a military-focused liberal arts college. Students will also participate in research, outreach activities, and cyber defense competitions. The goal will be to produce well-rounded cybersecurity leaders for federal and state agencies. The project will benefit from the Citadel’s leadership training component and the established relationship between The Citadel Career Center and government entities, including defense and intelligence agencies. This project is supported by the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service (SFS) program, which funds proposals establishing or continuing scholarship programs in cybersecurity and aligns with the U.S. National Cyber Strategy to develop a superior cybersecurity workforce. Following graduation, scholarship recipients are required to work in cybersecurity for a federal, state, local, or tribal Government organization for the same duration as their scholarship support. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.