COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE ACADEMICS

National Security Agency Information Assurance Education and Training Scholarship Program

Attention Computer Science Students

Florida State University is currently in the process of applying for the NSA Information Assurance Education and Training Scholarship Program that will provide support for students to study in the field of information assurance and computer security. Students who wish to pursue this opportunity for Fall 2002 must submit their applications by May 6th 2002. CS students, time is running short. If you are interested, please apply immediately.

Scholarship Benefits

Each student in the program will be supported for up to two years with benefits each year. The specific benefits will be:

• A graduate student will be paid a stipend of $15,000 per year, an undergraduate will be paid a stipend of $10,000 per year to cover room and board expenses.
• All applicable tuition and fees, including any out-of-state and graduate student fees, will be paid on behalf of the scholarship recipients. This support is provided in addition to the stipend.
• Each student will be assigned to exploratory research projects investigating issues related to large externally funded projects. Additional academic year funding will be available to most students involved in these externally funded projects.
• Inherent in this program is the opportunity to attain front line experience in the information security field with the assurance of employment with the leading security organization in the world.

Requirements and Eligibility

The requirements for applicants in the program and the eligibility criteria are:

• Applicant must be a United States citizen.
• Applicant must be a full time student within two years of graduation at Florida State University with either a Baccalaureate or Master's degree in computer science. Ph.D. students are NOT eligible for this program. Holders of associate degrees and Junior college students that have acquired sufficient credit hours to be within two years of graduation at FSU are eligible.
• At least a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale.
• Each student must meet selection criteria for federal employment (final job placement may require security clearances, so each scholarship recipient may be required to undergo the background investigation required to obtain such clearances).
• During the summer between the two years in the program, each student will be placed by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) into internship positions at a federal agency.
• Upon graduation, each student will be required to work for up to two years at a federal agency. The work requirement time period matches the supported time period. Students will be placed into positions by the OPM.

Application Process

Each applicant to the NSA Information Assurance Scholarship program should provide the following:

• Letter expressing interest in the NSA Information Assurance Scholarship program that includes a statement that indicates an understanding of the two year degree seeking nature of the program and of the two year commitment to the federal government after graduation. This letter can be sent via email.
• Transcripts of all college work.
• Standardized test scores (SAT, GRE)
• Statement of purpose and description of goals in your computer science MS degree program and in the field of computer security and information assurance.
• Recommendation letters from at least two faculty members or employment managers familiar with the student's background.
• Supplemental Academic Sufficiency Statement
• Supplemental Competency Statement
• Supplemental Statement of General Academic and Employment Conditions
• OF612 Form (pdf)
• Official acceptance into Florida State University.

For applicants interested in beginning the program in August 2002, please send or have sent all of the above information to:

Computer Science Department
NSA Information Assurance Scholarship Program
Department of Computer Science
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-4530

Telephone:(850) 644-4055
Email:admissions@cs.fsu.edu

Deadlines

• Fall 2002: Applications for candidates who wish to begin the NSA Information Assurance Scholarship program in the Fall of 2002 must submit their applications by May 6th 2002.



• Fall 2003: Applications for candidates who wish to begin the NSA Information Assurance Scholarship program in August 2003 will be accepted until March 14, 2003 or until the cohort is full. The Information Assurance panel will make award decisions by the end of March 2003.

Assessment Plan

Application assessment will be conducted in the three phases of verification, classification, and ranking.

• Verification: On receipt of an application, the Department of Computer Science staff will review applications for completeness and to ensure that the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the program. The applicants will be ranked as "Insufficient Potential", "Sufficient Potential", "Average Potential", "High Potential", or "Superior Potential" based upon their transcripts, GPA, Academic honors, distinctions or awards and letters of reference.
• Classification: At the conclusion of the application period, a rating panel of Information Security professors will objectively rate applicants as "No Knowledge or Ability", "Basic Knowledge or Ability", "Intermediate Knowledge or Ability", "Advanced Knowledge or Ability", "Superior Knowledge or Ability" based on the selection criteria noted below.
• Ranking: The final applicant list for delivery to NSA will be ordered as "Not Recommended", "Recommended", "Highly Recommended", and "Most Highly Recommended" by the FSU NSA Scholarship Principal Investigator.

The final applicant list, including their classification and ranking, will then be forwarded to DoD Point of Contact for final judgment.

Criteria for Selection

The criteria used to classify and rank applicants are:

• Cumulative Undergraduate GPA
• Major Undergraduate GPA
• Cumulative Graduate GPA
• Major Graduate GPA
• Academic record (course content)
• Standardized test scores
• Evaluation of the student's statement of purpose.
• One (1) Letter of Reference from a current faculty member
• One (1) Letter of Reference from a current or former faculty member or a current or former supervisor
• Demonstrated leadership, participation in team activities, prior social service, and/or evidence of creative and independent thinking and/or acting
• Knowledge of the techniques of the information technology and/or information security (assurance) discipline, including encryption, access control, physical security, training, threat analysis, and authentication
• Knowledge of the human factors in the information technology and/or information security (assurance), including human computer interaction, design, training, sabotage, human error prevention and identification, personal use policies, and monitoring.
• Ability to identify and analyze problems, distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information to make logical decisions, and provide solutions to individual and organizational problems
• Ability to consider and respond appropriately to the needs, feelings, and capabilities of different people in different situations; is tactful, compassionate and sensitive, and treats others with respect
• Ability to make clear and convincing oral presentations to individuals or groups; listens effectively and clarifies information as needed, facilitates an open exchange of ideas and fosters an atmosphere of open communication
• Ability to express facts and ideas in writing in a clear, convincing and organized manner appropriate to the audience and occasion

Recruitment Plan

For more information, please visit:

• The Scholarship and Vacancy Announcement