Category Archives: scholarships

2025 Upsilon Pi Epsilon Scholarship Winners

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Congratulations to Jorge Pinzon and Kelson Bowman on being selected as the 2025 scholarship recipients for Upsilon Pi Epsilon (UPE), the international honor society for the computing and information disciplines.  This is a prestigious honor with competition from applicants at universities across the country.

The UPE Scholarship Challenge: Annually, the Executive Council of Upsilon Pi Epsilon evaluates submissions from our most promising undergraduate and graduate students, nationwide. The application process is rigorous: candidates must present a clear vision for their long-term professional plans, showcase their impactful contributions to their UPE chapters, and document their college-level activities. Successful applicants will have also secured a key recommendation from their UPE faculty adviser and provided all official transcripts.

Please join us in congratulating Kelson and Jorge!

Kelson Bowman, left, and Jorge Pinzon, right

For more information on the Honor Society and the annual scholarship opportunity, click here: Upsilon Pi Epsilon

2025 Three Rivers Info Security Symposium (TRISS) Conference

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The Three Rivers Information Security Symposium (TRISS) is an annual, single-day event featuring multiple presentation tracks. It serves as a vital meeting ground for Pittsburgh’s leading IT and security professionals, enabling them to exchange knowledge and foster collaborative partnerships.

This symposium is an entirely volunteer-driven effort, dedicated to raising awareness, encouraging cooperation, and strengthening expertise within the regional information security sector.

TRISS is proudly sponsored and organized by a coalition of influential local organizations, such as:

  • RMU’s Top Secret Colonials (TSC)
  • Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS)
  • Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)
  • Infragard Pittsburgh Members Alliance (IPMA)
  • Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA)

Furthermore, the symposium shows its commitment to the future of the field by offering a robust education and scholarship program.

RMU students and faculty at TRISS 2025

The conference attracts key experts and executives from major Pittsburgh institutions, including U.S. Steel, PNC, PPG, Wesco, UPMC, and others. A commitment to quality is upheld through a merit-based speaker selection process, guaranteeing a diverse and unbiased program.

This year, 30 students from RMU were in attendance! The symposium provided them with a truly great learning and networking opportunity, allowing them to immerse themselves in the latest industry trends, cutting-edge research, and practical defense strategies presented by leading security professionals.

TRISS 2025 was a fantastic success, underscoring the vital connection between local industry groups and the next generation of cybersecurity talent. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year!

Department of Defense Scholarship Winners

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Larry Luther and Jesse Marks are the latest RMU cybersecurity students who received a generous scholarship as part of a competitive grant award to RMU from the US Department of Defense Cyber Service Academy (DoD CSA) program. Dr. Ping Wang is the Faculty PI (Principal Investigator) of the grant. The DoD CSA scholarship provides full tuition, a stipend, book and laptop allowances, travel support, and future DoD employment for selected students to complete a cybersecurity-related degree at designated National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) institutions like RMU.

Larry and Jesse are among only 50 DoD CSA Scholars selected nationally this year. They both attended this year’s DoD CSA boot camp with PI Dr. Wang in Washington, DC, in July, participating in a realistic multi-challenge cyber competition.

Congratulations, Larry and Jesse! We are very proud of your amazing accomplishment!

Jesse (left) and Larry (right), with PI Dr. Wang (center), attended this year’s DoD CSA boot camp in Washington DC

Top Secret Colonials Donate to the Craig Paullet Making a Difference Scholarship

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Members of the Top Secret Colonials (TSC) collectively donated $655 to a scholarship fund at RMU. Pictured left are members of TSC presenting a check to club advisor Dr. Karen Paullet at the club’s annual trip to a Pirate Game.

The donation was made to the Craig Paullet Making a Difference Scholarship which is dedicated to helping students in computing majors who are academically talented and economically challenged. The scholarship fund honors Dr. Paullet’s late brother, Craig Paullet, by making a difference in the lives of students who might not otherwise be able to pursue their educational goals. If you would like to give to the fund, you can donate here.

Members and alumni of the club had fun cheering on the Bucs on Friday, May 2, 2025, all while making a difference for future computing students. Thank you, TSC, for this generous donation!

Call for Applications – Dean’s Scholarships in Media Innovation

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Are you a student interested in using innovative media tools to realize your personal or professional objectives? Do you want to take your content, experience design, leadership, strategic communication or technology skills to the next level? Robert Morris University’ s Academic Media Center would like to invite you to apply for a student media experience scholarship. Join one or more of our innovative campus media programs, imagine new ways of sharing your story, and help make media learning experiences more accessible to learners across our community.

The 8 student media innovation scholarships are intended for students who desire to be:
> Change makers in the media environments that shape how we live, work and play
> Leaders in shaping the tools we use to make, distribute and consume the arts, news, information, and stories
> Both mentors and mentees working with others to imagine an ever more vibrant, dynamic and inclusive media environment.

The scholarships include:
> $1000.00 tuition scholarship for one academic year.
> Professional mentorship and coaching.
> Skills workshops, competitions, screenings and exhibitions.
> Access to the AMC studios and labs.
> Support in devising, completing and documenting a project in their chosen area of media – to be shared with the campus community: Advertising and Public Relations, Film and TV, Experience Design, Game Design, Graphic Design, Journalism (Entertainment, News and Sports), Media Leadership, Media Technology, Photography, Podcasting, and Social Media.

Application Components:
Personal Statement (300 words)
Resume (including 2 academic, personal or professional references)
Sample of audio, written, or visual media work (up to 100mb)

Applications are due August 5, 2024. For more information see:
https://www.rmu.edu/about/amc/scholarships

We look forward to reviewing your application! If short-listed, you will be contacted for an interview during the AMC Retreat in August. If you have any questions, please email Dr. Timothy Jones at jonest@rmu.edu. Thank you!

Congratulations to 2023 TRISS Scholarship Winners

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It is with great pride that the CIS Department recognizes the TRISS 2023 scholarship recipients. This year 14 Top Secret Colonials (RMU Cybersecurity students) were awarded money from the Three Rivers Information Security Symposium (TRISS). TRISS takes place in the Pittsburgh region each year and is the largest technology conference in this region. Students were required to be registered full-time in Cybersecurity or a similar IT degree and were required to submit a transcript (3.0 GPA or higher), letters of recommendation, and a personal statement to be considered. RMU’s students received the largest amount of money and had the largest number of recipients followed by CMU, Pitt, and other universities in our region. The recipients were as follows:

  1. Katherine Shannon
  2. Kelson Bowman
  3. Evan Brooks
  4. Logan Strausbaugh
  5. Marvin Posadas
  6. Austin Martin
  7. Sean Miller
  8. Grant Carvender
  9. Kevin Hienz
  10. Haley Nangle
  11. Cade Skuse
  12. Jesse Marks
  13. Madison Maynard
  14. Anthony Guerrero

Congratulations!

20-Year Club Annual Scholarship

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The 20-Year Club Annual Scholarship is a one-time award of $3,600 which will be applied toward tuition and books during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Eligibility

  • Full-time undergraduate student enrolled at RMU 
  • Minimum 60 credits (at least 30 earned at RMU) as of 1/1/23; Maximum 90 credits as of 1/1/23
  • Minimum GPA = 3.5

Note: full institutional tuition scholarship recipients are not eligible.  Also, previous winners of the 20-Year Club scholarship are not eligible.

The scholarship winner will be selected based upon a blind review of applications by the 20-Year Scholarship Club Committee.  Committee members will review the application and the required essay to determine the winner.

To receive an application, please email Dr. Cathleen Jones at jones@rmu.edu.  Applications are to be submitted electronically via email to Dr. Jones and must be received by April 3, 2023. WINNER WILL BE NOTIFIED BY THE SECOND WEEK OF MAY.

NSF SFS Scholarship Grant Program

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The NSF-SFS Scholarship application is now open.  Interested students will find the “How to Apply” section on our SFS website here:https://www.rmu.edu/academics/sihss/nsf-cybercorps-sfs-program

Before applying, students are highly encouraged to attend the next informational session on Thursday, March 23rd at 4:00 pm,  in room Wheatley 119.  

See below for more information:

Congratulations to 2022 TRISS Scholarship Winners

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It is with great pride that the CIS Department recognizes the RMU students who were recipients of 2022 TRISS Scholarships. This year 9 Top Secret Colonial (TSC) – Cybersecurity students were awarded money from the Three Rivers Information Security Symposium (TRISS). TRISS takes place in the Pittsburgh region each year and is the largest information security conference in this region. Students were required to be registered full-time in cybersecurity or a similar IT degree and were required to submit a transcript (3.0 GPA or higher), letters of recommendation, and a personal statement to be considered. 

The scholarship recipients were as follows:

1 – Jihad Mayo 
2 – Brandon Schuh
3 – Katelyn Shannon 
4 – Katelyn Cole 
5 – Austin Martin 
6 – Marvin Posadas 
7 – Allison Zeanchock
8 – Evan Brooks
9 – Anthony Guerrero 

Congratulations!