Senator Gillibrand Promotes Cyber Service Academy At University At Buffalo; Encourages Students To Apply For Scholarship-For-Service Cyber Program

Nov 18, 2024

Gillibrand's Cyber Service Academy Will Create Pipeline Of Cyber Professionals To Protect Our National Security

Nearly 30,000 Department of Defense Cyber Positions Remain Unfilled

Starting In Their Junior Year In A Four-Year Program Or Second Year In An Associate's Degree Program, Students Receive A Year Of Free College For Every Year Committed To Public Service

Interested students can learn more at www.gillibrand.senate.gov/cyberacademy

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand joined elected officials and educators to encourage University at Buffalo students to apply to the DoD Cyber Service Academy scholarship program, which provides full college tuition in return for public service in the Department of Defense (DoD) or the Intelligence Community (IC). Successful applicants will serve one year in the DoD or the IC as a civilian employee for each year of their scholarship.

The University at Buffalo is one of 24 New York institutions that qualify to host students through the program because of their designations as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity. Gillibrand created the Cyber Service Academy scholarship program through her work on the Senate Armed Services Committee. With nearly 30,000 unfilled DoD cyber positions, it is more essential than ever that the U.S. create a pipeline for a talented, highly trained cyber workforce.

"Thousands of unfilled DoD cyber positions leave our country with a severe shortage of personnel needed to protect the United States from adversaries like Russia. I developed the Cyber Service Academy scholarship program to help meet these needs and give our youth a path to good-paying jobs in government," said Senator Gillibrand. "This program will create a pipeline for a talented, highly trained cyber workforce, granting one year of free college for every year of subsequent public service. The University at Buffalo is a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, and I encourage students to apply, earn free tuition, and serve our great nation."

"On behalf of the University at Buffalo's scholarly community, I would like to thank Senator Gillibrand for creating opportunities that encourage students to pursue higher education, and opening rewarding career pathways to them," said University at Buffalo President Satish K. Tripathi. "As a university dedicated to harnessing our education, research and scholarship for the public good, we appreciate the Senator's commitment to help the next generation of cyber-security professionals contribute meaningfully to society and make a positive impact on the world."

"The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University at Buffalo is excited to partner with Senator Gillibrand and her innovative Cyber Service Academy scholarship program," said Kemper Lewis, dean of the University at Buffalo School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. "UB is well-positioned to support this collective effort as a preeminent leader in cybersecurity education and research, evidenced by our multi-decade designations as National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Research and Cyber Defense. Our partnership with the UB School of Management and Senator Gillibrand puts us in a unique position to impact our nation's defense capabilities and strengthen our next-generation workforce across many industrial and technology sectors, leading to a safer future."

"Cybersecurity is a pervasive threat that endangers national security and affects every organization, large or small, and a single weak link can expose our data and create vulnerabilities," said Ananth Iyer, dean of the University at Buffalo School of Management. "Just as we lock doors and set alarms to protect our physical assets, organizations need a cybersecurity strategy to protect their digital assets. In collaboration with our colleagues in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, we offer programs that train students to be adept in cybersecurity management. We thank Senator Gillibrand for her advocacy for cybersecurity training, and plan to continue to grow our programs in the future to ensure cyber resilience"

"So much of good cybersecurity is about partnerships. As we look to prepare the next generation of cyber defenders our relationships with UB Partners such as the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, our Center of Excellence in Information Systems Assurance Research and Education (CEISARE) and hour NSF CyberCorp programs have allowed us to deliver several comprehensive and holistic cybersecurity programs. But our partnerships cannot stop in the classroom," said Kevin Cleary, professor at the University at Buffalo School of Management. "Support from the community and our elected officials is paramount to the ongoing success of our programs. Political support from our elected leaders aids not only in the passing of common-sense laws to protect the privacy of American citizens, but also in providing material support to students who will be stepping into a cyber threatscape, that will look completely different tomorrow than it does today. I'm proud to have Senator Gillibrand as an ally in our ever-evolving cyber struggles."

The Cyber Service Academy scholarship program includes:

1. A scholarship covering the full cost of tuition, select books and fees, a stipend for room and board, purchase of a laptop, and more;
2. Areas of study including cybersecurity, cyber operations, digital and multimedia forensics, computer crime investigations, and more;
3. A service commitment for a period equivalent to the length of a recipient's scholarship that starts after graduation;
4. Opportunities to serve throughout the DoD and the Intelligence Community.

Interested students should go to www.gillibrand.senate.gov/cyberacademy and click on the DoD Cyber Scholarship Program link to apply. This page will continue to be updated as the DoD refines its application process. The application for the 2025-2026 academic year is open through February 1, 2025.

   