SFS Renewal: Using Auburn University's Land Grant Mission to Prepare Cybersecurity Professionals

奥本大学是16个国家网络作战学术卓越中心之一，该大学提议继续并扩大其对网络军团(R)服务奖学金（SFS）计划的参与，为进入政府工作队伍准备高素质的网络安全专业人员。在为公共部门做好准备的过程中，学生们与阿拉巴马州的社区合作，提高对网络安全问题的认识。该项目将通过培养训练有素的网络安全专业人员，对联邦工作人员的信息保障和取证能力产生直接影响。鉴于奥本大学在从代表性不足的群体中毕业的工程师方面有着良好的记录，该团队将与奥本大学的贝尔南少数民族工程项目（BMEP）、1000 women strong组织、无障碍办公室和退伍军人事务办公室密切合作，以确保至少有一半的奖学金学生来自代表性不足的人群。SFS学生被要求参加课外活动，以确保他们具备技能，为他们在工作场所面临的各种挑战做好准备。鼓励本科生和研究生奖学金获得者寻求网络安全认证，以有形和可识别的方式展示他们的网络能力，使他们在公务员职位上更具竞争力。此外，研究生在完成学位之前，至少要深入研究一个先进的网络安全领域，并发表一篇与公共部门相关的可发表论文。那些指导SFS学者与政府机构接触，了解网络安全需求和趋势，以实现SFS毕业生与工作之间的相互契合。奥本大学的SFS项目将继续为公共部门提供合格的网络安全人员。具体目标是1)使学生有资格在公共部门从事网络安全职业；2)通过反映工作空间现实的动手学习为学生做好准备；3)让学生参与提高阿拉巴马州社区的网络安全意识，以支持奥本大学作为赠地大学的角色；4)资助来自被剥夺公民权背景的合格学生，否则他们将无法负担教育费用。该大学与红石兵工厂、麦克斯韦空军基地、阿拉巴马州税务局和Ft Benning等政府组织建立了长期的研究和教育关系，通过将奖学金获得者与职业生涯早期的机构联系起来，为SFS计划的成功做出了特殊贡献。在常规学年中，超过三分之二的SFS学生参加了由联邦政府赞助的网络安全项目。这种紧密的合作为学生提供了实践经验，并在政府机构内提供了支持，从而使学生在毕业时获得了多个就业机会。

Auburn University, one of the sixteen National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations, proposes to continue and expand its participation in the CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service (SFS) program to prepare highly-qualified cybersecurity professionals for entry into the government workforce. Along the path to becoming prepared for the public sector, students work with Alabama communities to raise awareness of cybersecurity issues. The project will have an immediate impact on the information assurance and forensics capabilities of the federal workforce by developing well-trained cybersecurity professionals. Given the University's strong record in graduating engineers from underrepresented groups, the team will work closely with the Auburn University's BellSouth Minority Engineering Program (BMEP), 1000-Women Strong organization, the Office of Accessibility, and the Office of Veteran Affairs to ensure at least half of the scholarship students come from segments of the population that are under-represented. SFS students are required to participate in extracurricular activities that ensure they are equipped with skills that will prepare them for the variety of challenges they will see in the workplace. Undergraduate and graduate scholarship recipients are encouraged to seek cybersecurity certifications that demonstrate in a tangible and recognizable fashion their cyber capabilities, making them more competitive for placement in civil service positions. In addition, graduate scholars complete their degree having done a deep dive into a least one area of advanced cybersecurity resulting in a publishable paper relevant to the public sector. Those mentoring the SFS scholars engage with government agencies to understand cybersecurity needs and trends to achieve a mutual fit between SFS graduates and jobs.Auburn's SFS program continues to be a source of qualified cybersecurity personnel going to work in the public sector. The specific objectives are to 1) qualify students for cybersecurity careers in the public sector; 2) prepare students through hands-on learning that reflects the realities of the workspace; 3) engage students in raising the awareness of cybersecurity within Alabama's communities in support of Auburn University's role as a land grant university; and 4) fund qualified students from disenfranchised backgrounds who would not be able to otherwise afford an education. The University's long-term research and education relationships with government organizations such as Redstone Arsenal, Maxwell AFB, Alabama Department of Revenue, and Ft Benning have fostered special contributions to the success of the SFS program by aligning scholarship recipients with agencies early in their careers. Over two-thirds of the SFS students participated in a cybersecurity project sponsored by the Federal Government during a regular academic year. Such close collaboration provide students hands-on experience and support efforts within government organizations, resulting in students receiving multiple offers of employment upon graduation.