The Cyber Security Scholarship Program (CSSP) at Red Rocks Community College (RRCC) is supporting up to 34 students majoring in Computer Information Systems (CIS), with emphases in Computer Security Specialist, Programming Specialist or Networking Specialist. The overarching goal of the CSSP is to facilitate a greater number of graduates in CIS who ultimately enter the cyber security workforce. By developing 2+2 programs with local transfer institutions, Colorado State University-Global Campus and Regis University, CSSP scholars are afforded multiple pathways into the cyber security workforce upon completion of the Associate of Applied Science degree at RRCC.
Intellectual Merit: In addition to providing CSSP participants with financial support through S-STEM scholarships, the CSSP is implementing best practices to enhance the success of the participants, such as cohort-building activities, academic support services, career guidance, weekly CSSP Scholars Hour meetings with CIS faculty and networking opportunities with industry professionals to explore career pathways. The CSSP provides a model for other community colleges to emulate in order to increase graduation rates of students pursuing computer science majors.
Broader Impacts: The CSSP is addressing the national priority to recruit and retain undergraduates in computer science, ultimately producing graduates who can contribute to the security and economic health of the nation. By disseminating lessons learned from the CSSP project, other institutions can be informed about effective strategies to increase the numbers of computer science graduates they produce.
