KnowBe4 Launches $10,000 Scholarship For Black Americans In Cybersecurity

Education is a cornerstone of the fight to end discrimination. That is why KnowBe4 has officially opened the application period for the $10,000 Scholarship for Black Americans in Cybersecurity. Students will be able to apply for the scholarship until September 14th, 2020 through the Center for Cyber Safety and Education's website.

Since everyone's situation is different, the scholarship will be flexible in how it is awarded. The recipient of this award will receive a $10,000 scholarship to be applied to tuition, fees, books, electronics, and up to $3,000 of that total may be applied to on-campus housing. The recipient can also choose to receive the scholarship amount all at once or spread it out over the course of multiple semesters, including summer sessions.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2015 only 23% of Black Americans had earned a bachelor's degree or higher, as compared to 33% of White Americans. At KnowBe4 we want to do our part to help bridge this gap by making sure students have the funds and resources they need to focus on their education. "Given the current situation with the pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis, it has become clear to us that these factors will, unfortunately, exacerbate a lot of the inequalities that already exist in many of our communities," said Kelly, Director of Talent Outreach at KnowBe4. "Particularly at a time when so many students are considering skipping a year of study, or are unsure whether they should even return to school at all, I thought it was important that we focus on Black students in cybersecurity - a field that is constantly growing and expanding."

Jason, VP of Tech Support and a member of KnowBe4's Black Employee Resource Group, said, "Black Americans are historically underrepresented in the field of technology so this scholarship, in addition to KnowBe4's other diversity and inclusion efforts, is an important step to help bridge the gap. From education to recruitment KnowBe4 shows it is in a position to help lead a charge toward increased representation for Black Americans in this field." Tara, a leader of KnowBe4's Black Employee Resource Group, echoed Jason's thoughts and added, "I feel it is important that KnowBe4 continues to champion diversity and keeps taking actionable steps to lead change, especially in an industry where underrepresentation for Black Americans has been overly apparent. The decision to provide a scholarship for Black Americans in cybersecurity simply reinforces this endeavor."

If you or anyone you know might be a good fit for this opportunity, hit the button below to find out more about the scholarship.