Washington, DC - The Department of Homeland Security announced it will begin accepting applications for the 2016 Secretary’s Honors Program Cyber Student Volunteer Initiative for current undergraduate and graduate students. Beginning in the spring of 2016, over 50 selected students will complete volunteer assignments supporting the DHS cyber mission at department field offices in over 40 locations across the country.

Through this initiative, student volunteers currently pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees related to cybersecurity will gain invaluable hands-on experience and exposure to the cybersecurity work performed across DHS. The Department is committed to expanding our cybersecurity workforce and developing future professionals. In support of this goal, the selected students will gain invaluable experience while supporting activities such as cyber threat analysis, digital forensics, network diagnostics and incident response, while participating in mentoring and professional development events with DHS managers and senior leaders.  

The Department created the Secretary’s Honors Program Cyber Student Volunteer Initiative in April 2013, and expanded it in 2015 to feature more than 50 student assignments across more than 30 states. Students selected for the current cohort will complete assignments at one of the following organizations: Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Management Directorate/Office of the Chief Information Officer, Office of Intelligence and Analysis, Office of Policy/Cyber, Infrastructure and Resilience Policy, Transportation Security Administration, and United States Coast Guard.

For more information about the Secretary’s Honors Program Cyber Student Volunteer Initiative, including the selection and application process, visit http://www.dhs.gov/secretarys-honors-program.