Katie Duczmal Memorial Scholarship

Open to female students about to enter their final year or final semester of study

This scholarship is offered in memory of Katie Duczmal, a principal consultant in cybersecurity for Shearwater Solutions. The scholarship aims to support female students who have an interest in a career in cybersecurity and who are in their final year of study. The scholarship will reimburse the student for their tuition fees in their final year of study and will provide the student with a paid internship during that year to give them work experience and mentoring, in the field of Information Security.

TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP VALUE
Up to $10,000

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
Paid internship at Shearwater

AVAILABLE TO ONE APPLICANT PER YEAR

APPLICATIONS CLOSE
15 October 2020

How to apply

About Katie Duczmal Scholarship

The Katie Duczmal Memorial Scholarship was created in memory of Katie Duczmal, a woman with a bright career in cybersecurity who found her life cut short by a rare and aggressive cancer. She passed away early in 2019, aged 35.

This scholarship aims to support a female student with an interest in a career in cybersecurity to transition into the industry. It consists of financial assistance to pay tuition fees and a paid internship to provide work experience and mentoring to assist the recipient’s future career.

Eligibility

This scholarship is open to female students about to enter their final year or final semester of study.
This scholarship is open to students studying for a vocational qualification (Cert IV, diploma, adv. diploma) or higher education degree or certificate (bachelors, honours, grad cert, grad dip, masters, doctorate) in IT or a related field, and who have a demonstrable interest in a career in cybersecurity.
This scholarship is only open to Australian citizens or permanent residents studying at an Australian education institute

Applications

Students wishing to be considered for this scholarship are required to submit the following before the cut-off date:

A letter detailing your background, the inspiration for choosing a career in cyber security, and your future career aspirations in the field.
A CV
A copy of your transcripts to date (unofficial transcripts or screenshots are acceptable, though official transcripts may be required if successful)
A letter of recommendation from an academic who has taught you at the institution you are currently studying at.

Documents should be submitted in electronic format to:

scholarship@shearwater.com.au

The cut-off date for applications is: 15 October 2020.

Selection

A short list of applicants will be made after reviewing the applications. These short-listed applicants will be invited to an interview, after which a single applicant will be chosen to receive the scholarship.

Value, duration, and payment of scholarship

This scholarship carries a maximum stipend equal to the student’s institution’s tuition fees for a fulltime domestic student undertaking a fulltime load for the year in which they receive the scholarship, or that amount pro-rated to reflect the subject load undertaken in the student’s final year of study. In total, the payment of tuition fees will not exceed $10,000 for the year.

Payment is made in arrears and in a lump sum at the end of each study period upon receipt of an official transcript or other official notification of results. Payment is made directly to the student.

Payment of tuition fees will only be made for subjects where the student receives a passing grade.

In addition to the payment of tuition fees, Shearwater Solutions will provide a paid internship for the successful student. The nature of this internship will be negotiated with the student when the scholarship is awarded. Participation in the internship is not a requirement for the awarding of the scholarship, but the successful student is expected to negotiate and consider the offer in good faith. Mentoring will still be offered, regardless.

Conditions of scholarship

Unless otherwise advised, the scholarship and the associated internship shall terminate at the end of the period for which it is awarded.

A transcript or other method of detailing results will need to be submitted at the end of each study period. The scholarship may be withdrawn for poor academic performance at the discretion of Shearwater Solutions.

The internship offered as part of this scholarship carries no obligation to the student or to Shearwater Solutions for continued employment beyond the scholarship period.

The internship is governed by the normal terms and conditions of employment at Shearwater. The internship may be revoked at the discretion of Shearwater Solutions for normal employment related issues, or other reasons. The internship arrangement is, however, entered into with a good faith intention for the student to complete it and to assist the student to enter the workforce when they graduate.

Contact

If you have any questions about this scholarship or your application, please contact:

scholarship@shearwater.com.au

Margueritte Saboungi 2020 Recipient

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