2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The goal of the NSF S-STEM funded [Project] is to increase the number of undergraduate students who complete cybersecurity-related degrees, thus cultivating the much-needed cybersecurity experts. The [Project] objectives are: (1) increase the annual enrollment of students in the B.S. and Area of Emphasis (AoE) in Cybersecurity at [University]; (2) provide co-curricular activities and student support services intended to bolster students' academic achievement and career prospects in cybersecurity; (3) establish partnerships with cybersecurity employers from the private and public sector; and (4) explore the impact of the [Project] activities on students' academic success and transition into graduate school or careers in cybersecurity fields.

Thus far, 96 annual scholarships have been awarded to 63 unique students from five cohorts. The [Project] has contributed significantly to the increase of enrollment in Cybersecurity B.S. degree and AoE - from 50 students (US citizens) at the start of the project in spring 2020 to 194 students (US citizens) in fall 2024. The successful recruitment and selection of scholars resulted from a wide range of outreach activities tailored to different student identities, across different academic stages. Over the five cohorts, 35% of new scholars were recruited while they were still in high school, which demonstrates the value of this scholarship for recruiting talented incoming freshmen who specialize in cybersecurity. To date, 20 [Project] scholars have graduated and gotten full-time positions or enrolled in graduate studies.

Overall, the gender diversity of scholarship recipients was greater than that of their peers enrolled in Cybersecurity B.S. and AoE at [University]. Specifically, 24% of the scholarship recipients of Cohorts 1 - 5 together are women compared to 11% among their peers. The percentages of students from underrepresented racial/ethnic backgrounds were similar among scholars and their peers (i.e., 19% versus 21%, respectively).

To aid students' success, the [Project] developed and offered numerous co-curricular activities and support services. These include social events like Award Ceremonies and "Get Together" meetings, which enabled community building. Furthermore, all scholars received faculty mentoring as part of the [Project], most scholars participated in the Cyber[University] student organization, and some scholars were involved in research.

The [Project] has strengthened the existing and created new partnerships with many cybersecurity employers. During eight semesters, prominent cybersecurity experts offered 19 seminars and panels for our students. These events were consistently ranked among the most appreciated activities, allowing students to gain practical knowledge and learn about career opportunities that they otherwise would not have known about. In addition, the partnerships with cybersecurity employers provided scholars with opportunities for internships and full-time employment.

Lastly, the [Project] research and evaluation teams worked together on exploring how [Project] activities affect students' success and on disseminating findings that could be valuable to other institutions.