Morgan State University’s (MSU) Cybersecurity Assurance and Policy (CAP) Center has been awarded a $3.2 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to implement the agency’s novel CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) program at Morgan, providing 24 cybersecurity scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students. As the only HBCU recipient to be awarded the grant this year, Morgan joins six other universities distinguished by the NSF to administer the CyberCorps program at their respective institutions. The award, which carries a term of five years, recognizes MSU’s CAP Center as a leader in cyber defense education and the study of secure embedded systems. Kevin T. Kornegay, Ph.D., the director for the CAP Center and professor at Morgan, will serve as principal investigator.

Designed to recruit and train the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, CyberCorps alongside its partner institutions creates pathways for students to receive critical training and education. At Morgan, the program will afford scholarships to 24 MSU students (10 bachelors, eight masters and six doctoral) providing them with an opportunity to participate in a unique educational program and innovative curriculum rooted in secure embedded systems integrating active learning experiences and mentoring.

The CAP Center will oversee the program’s implementation at Morgan branding it as the Secure Embedded Systems Scholarship (SES²). The resources provided will assist the Center in recruitment, mentoring, and will afford students pursuing cybersecurity-focused bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees with financial support.

“The innovation and high-degree of instruction Dr. Kornegay and his team are pursuing within the Cybersecurity Assurance and Policy Center is not only a model to follow, but it is representative of the high-value research and experiential learning opportunities that we afford our students here at Morgan,” said David K. Wilson, president of Morgan State University. “We thank the National Science Foundation and its partners for recognizing the critical role that Morgan will play in preparing future qualified digital security professionals as well as for the investment in our students to fill these roles.”