The Coastal Virginia Commonwealth Cyber Initiative Undergraduate Research Program (COVA CCI) | Spring 2023 – The program with COVA CCI required applicants to work with a mentor to write a research paper on a cybersecurity topic and to present the research to peers, faculty, and members of the organization. To complete the requirements, I collaborated with my mentor, Mr. Gladden, a faculty member in the ODU Cybersecurity program, and completed a research paper on the lack of Black women within the cybersecurity workforce. I presented the research via Zoom and was awarded $2,500. I also presented the research as a poster presentation at the CyberCon conference.

Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) Clearance Preparedness Program | November 2024 – This was another program with COVA CCI, where applicants had to participate in monthly webinars to learn about the process of earning a security clearance, and finally getting a digital badge at the end as proof of newly gained knowledge.

Virginia Space Grant Consortium Stem Bridge Scholarship Program | April 2025 – The scholarship program was split into two parts: the first required an interview with a staff member at your associated university and developing a research paper, after which, I was awarded the first half of $1,000. The second part is about simply attending a research conference to be awarded in the second half of the $1,000.

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