Cybersecurity company Exabeam is now accepting applications for its Exabeam Cybersecurity Scholarship Program. The company is seeking to award three scholarships totalling $8,000: $5,000 for the first-prize winner, $2,000 for the second-prize winner and $1,000 for the third-prize winner.

Students who are interested in landing one of the three awards must apply by June 30, 2020. 

To be eligible for the scholarship, an applicant must be a legal resident of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, be at least 16 years old at the time of application, be currently enrolled (or have been accepted to enroll) in an accredited college or university, and carry a minimum 3.0 grade point average.

Those eligible are required to submit their academic transcripts along with either a 600- to 1,000-word essay or a 5-minute video that answers one of the following three security-related questions:

• How would you go about making U.S. elections safer?
• How would you protect user privacy and security on social media platforms?
• Do you think your generation is more or less secure than your parents’ generation, and why?

The submissions will be judged based on a combination of originality and creativity (accounting for 80 percent of the weight) and grade point average (accounting for 20 percent of the weight). 

Exabeam launched the scholarship program this year in an effort to address increasing cyber threats. Cybercrimes are predicted to cost up to $6 trillion per year in damages by 2021.

The scholarship program is meant to support students interested in pursuing an education and career in the security field.

“We are pleased to launch the Exabeam Cybersecurity Scholarship Program to recognize the exceptional and diverse talents of students who are exploring the possibilities of a career in cybersecurity,” Exabeam’s CEO Nir Polak said in a news release. 

“Reflecting on my own journey, the opportunities that promoted my passion and interest in this discipline ultimately led to the founding of Exabeam. To sustain progress in defending cyberthreats, address the ongoing cybersecurity labor shortage, and drive our industry into the future, we must all work to cultivate the next generation of talent,” he added.

To apply for the scholarship, click here.

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