KnowBe4 partners with the Center for Cyber Safety and Education to help further global diversity and education in cybersecurity
KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, today announced Stephanie Somerai as the recipient of its 2023 Women of Colour in Cybersecurity (South Africa) Scholarship in partnership with the Center for Cyber Safety and Education.
The KnowBe4 Women of Colour in Cybersecurity (South Africa) Scholarship offers 110,000 ZAR to be applied to tuition, fees, books and required electronics and up to 31,900 ZAR that may be applied to on-campus housing. Applicants were evaluated based on the following criteria: passion, merit and financial need.
This year’s scholarship recipient, Stephanie Somerai, is a senior year undergraduate student pursuing a degree in information systems at the University of Cape Town. Her interest in a career in cybersecurity stems from a young age after being inspired by the plot and diverse cast of the cybersecurity-focused television show, “CSI: Cyber”, which she watched growing up with her family. While earning her degree, Somerai also works as a computer lab assistant where she helps others learn and apply computer skills. Somerai’s family is her biggest inspiration and motivation to earn a higher education degree. Their countless sacrifices throughout the years and most recently during the COVID-19 pandemic fuel her excitement to complete her degree and use it to change the world around her. She was chosen as the recipient of this scholarship due to her dedication to further her education in cybersecurity despite the financial setbacks she has faced in recent years and for her goal of diversifying the industry as a Black woman in tech.
“KnowBe4 is thrilled to once again offer our Women of Colour in Cybersecurity (South Africa) Scholarship in partnership with the Center for Cyber Safety and Education for the second consecutive year,” said Ani Banerjee, chief human resources officer, KnowBe4. “Stephanie’s passion for cybersecurity is made evident by her recognition as a Certificate of Academic Excellence recipient for two consecutive years from the University of Cape Town along with her invitation to be part of the Golden Key International Honours Society in 2023. Despite being thousands of kilometers away from her family and support structure, Stephanie remains committed to earning her degree in order to make a meaningful impact in this industry. She is an ambitious student and a deserving scholarship recipient with a bright future ahead of her.”
“This scholarship will help fund my final year in my studies,” said Somerai. “I am excited to be able to complete this school year with the KnowBe4 scholarship as I prepare for graduation and am grateful for the opportunity to expand my cybersecurity knowledge and network with KnowBe4 professionals who are already excelling in the field as I work to finish my degree.”
For more information on the KnowBe4 Women of Colour in Cybersecurity (South Africa) Scholarship, visit https://www.iamcybersafe.org/s/knowbe4-women-of-colour-south-africa.
To learn more about KnowBe4 and to view open positions, visit here.
About KnowBe4
KnowBe4, the provider of the world’s largest security awareness training and simulated phishing platform, is used by more than 65,000 organizations around the globe. Founded by IT and data security specialist Stu Sjouwerman, KnowBe4 helps organizations address the human element of security by raising awareness about ransomware, CEO fraud and other social engineering tactics through a new-school approach to awareness training on security. The late Kevin Mitnick, who was an internationally recognized cybersecurity specialist and KnowBe4’s Chief Hacking Officer, helped design the KnowBe4 training based on his well-documented social engineering tactics. Organizations rely on KnowBe4 to mobilize their end users as their last line of defense and trust the KnowBe4 platform to strengthen their security culture and reduce human risk.
