Optiv Announces $40,000 Scholarship for Black, African American Identifying STEM Students

-- $10,000 to be Awarded Annually for Four Years Each by Optiv’s Black Employee Network --

DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Optiv Security, a security solutions integrator delivering end-to-end cybersecurity solutions, today announced its Black Employee Network will be offering $40,000 over four years in scholarship funds. The scholarship will be awarded to an individual who identifies as Black and/or African American and is studying a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subject in an effort to increase diversity in the cyber and information security fields.

Applicants must meet the below qualifications:

• Be a graduating high school senior.
• Verify acceptance into an eligible degree program in a STEM related field (including but not limited to computer science, electrical engineering, math, etc.)
• Minimum cumulative high school GPA is 3.5 on 4.0 scale.
  • Must maintain a cumulative undergrad GPA of at least 3.2 on 4.0 scale to remain eligible for the scholarship over the course of four years.
• Be planning a career in cybersecurity/information security.
• Complete the scholarship application including a one-page essay and two letters of reference.
• Identify as Black and/or African American (African, African American, Caribbean, for example) and a U.S. Citizen, U.S. national or permanent resident.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to apply here. Optiv will be accepting applications until January 8, 2021.

“Every day, we make the choice to invest in the next generation because it makes sense to promote the expansion of talent in our industry,” said Optiv CEO Kevin Lynch. “If we believe in the power of diversity, we all have a responsibility to invest in all our communities. This is the first in a sequence of choices Optiv is making to shape our company, and our industry, to one more representative of our society. I remain proud of our organization for striving for a future in which this isn’t newsworthy and for embracing a path where the work required to achieve that future is welcome.”

Optiv’s Black Employee Network is entirely employee driven and part of the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative.

“I am proud to work for a company that recognizes the importance of diversity and is taking concrete steps to increase the number of Black cybersecurity professionals,” said Noland Perrilloux, Optiv’s Black Employee Network committee chair. “Our hope is these scholarships will allow more Black/ African American students to pursue their dream of becoming a cybersecurity practitioner.”

“Studies have shown that diversity improves organizational performance across the board,” said Jill Sanford, Optiv’s CHRO, “so the industry lacking diversity is not only a moral failing but is bad for business. I am very excited Optiv is putting resources toward improving an issue that has plagued the industry since its inception.”

To learn more about the scholarship program or to apply, go here or visit www.optiv.com for more information.

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Optiv Security: Secure your security.™
Optiv is a security solutions integrator – “one-stop” trusted partner with a singular focus on cybersecurity. Our end-to-end cybersecurity capabilities span risk management and transformation, cyber digital transformation, threat management, security operations, identity and data management, and integration and innovation, helping organizations realize stronger, simpler and more cost-efficient cybersecurity programs that support business requirements and outcomes. At Optiv, we are modernizing cybersecurity to enable clients to innovate their consumption models, integrate infrastructure and technology to maximize value, achieve measurable outcomes, and realize complete solutions and business alignment. For more information about Optiv, please visit us at www.optiv.com.