Marymount graduate student inducted into inaugural class of Cybersecurity Talent Initiative

The nonprofit, nonpartisan Partnership for Public Service has announced that Carroll S. Rich, a Cybersecurity graduate student from Marymount University, will participate in the inaugural unit of the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative. This initiative is a first-of-its-kind public-private partnership that works to recruit and provide participants with experience in a world-class cybersecurity force.
 
Rich’s program placement is through the Environmental Protection Agency, where he will work to protect the agency’s networks against cyber threats. He is scheduled to graduate from Marymount at the end of the Fall 2020 semester.
 
“I’m motivated to be a cybersecurity professional and protect our nation’s cyber infrastructure and guard our assets in cyberspace,” Rich said.
 
The Cybersecurity Talent Initiative is a two-year program that places recently-graduated students in several federal government agencies. As the demand for cybersecurity talent increases each year and thousands of jobs go unfilled, the goal of the Initiative is to provide these students with valuable experience, designed to motivate the next generation of cybersecurity leaders.
 
Following their two-year program, participants will receive invites to apply for full-time positions with the Cybersecurity Talent Initiative program’s private sector partners. Students that are hired will receive up to $75,000 in student loan assistance. 
 
Officials say the inaugural class members’ fresh insights and perspectives will ensure that the nation’s infrastructure will remain secure against global security threats.
 
“As the first group of participants begin their federal service, we are excited to increase our recruitment efforts to help shore up our country’s cyber talent pipeline,” said Max Stier, President and CEO of the Partnership for Public Service.
 
The program is highly selective in choosing participants. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in undergraduate or graduate cybersecurity-related degree programs, be graduating in the 2020-21 academic year and have outstanding student loans. The program’s inaugural class includes 10 participants from eight schools across the U.S. 
 
Once selected into the program, participants apply to work at any of the following participating federal government agencies – the Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Defense, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Election Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Office of Naval Intelligence. After gaining two years of experience at federal government agencies, participants can apply to work at Mastercard, Microsoft or Workday – participating companies with the program – for two years, and will receive $75,000 in student loan assistance.
 
“The federal government presents some of the greatest cybersecurity challenges and opportunities,” said Liza Wilson Durant, Director of the NoVa Node of the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative. “The CTI program is bringing the next generation of cybersecurity experts to advance solutions while providing these students with federal government experience that will serve them in any sector as they advance in their careers.”
 
Applications for the program are open now through Friday, Nov. 13. To apply to join the second cohort of the initiative, or for more information on becoming a corporate sponsor, visit cybertalentinitiative.org to learn more.