SALT LAKE CITY -- Western Governors University (WGU) and the Cybersecurity Diversity Foundation (CDF) are partnering to award scholarships for two full years of tuition to two students pursuing their master's degrees at WGU. Applications are now being accepted for the WGU-CDF scholarships, which will cover the full $12,000 tuition for up to four six-month terms at WGU. The university is also waiving the application fee for prospective students who apply by December 31, 2017; the fee can be waived by using the code: CYBER2017.

New and enrolling students in WGU's Cybersecurity and Information Assurance master's degree program can apply for these scholarships through December 31, 2017 at www.wgu.edu/tuition_financial_aid/scholarships/cdf.  

To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must be officially admitted to WGU, complete the scholarship application, and be interviewed by a WGU scholarship counselor. Recipients will be selected based on their academic records, financial need, and readiness for online study at WGU, among other considerations.

The CDF was established to support diversity and inclusion in the field of cybersecurity by welcoming, supporting, and providing opportunity and access to people of all walks of life from entry level to executive and board positions. The Foundation works to promote actions that will make a difference in the field of cybersecurity – from providing scholarship funds to championing corporate pledges to fostering workforce diversity programming.  

CDF founder Mischel Kwon broke new ground in the traditionally male-dominated IT industry by serving in high-level security positions with the U.S. Government, the Department of Justice, and other leading companies in the private sector. Earlier this year, Kwon partnered with WGU when she spoke on cybersecurity at the university's Sage Talks lecture series. In addition to founding the CDF, Kwon is the founder and CEO of MKACyber, a Managed Security Operations Services Provider (MSSP) and security consulting firm with elite SOC expertise.

"In the 35-plus years I've been working in technology, we have struggled to encourage and attract a diverse workforce, especially in cybersecurity. Good security requires not only good technology, policy, and process, but exceptionally talented people," Kwon said. "We are incredibly excited to be partnering with WGU to offer these two scholarships to deserving members of the IT security community."

WGU's programs are online and competency-based, which allows working professionals to study and learn on schedules that fit their lives and apply what they already know to move more quickly through their coursework. 

SOURCE Western Governors University

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