UTSA Endowment for Cybersecurity and Software Engineering Students

By Fortra's Digital Defense

Vulnerability Management and Threat Assessment Leader to Help Support the Education of the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Professionals

San Antonio, TX – December 3, 2020 – To commemorate its 20th anniversary, Digital Defense, Inc., a leader in vulnerability management and threat assessment solutions, today announced the establishment of a financial endowment for the Department of Computer Science at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). The endowment will provide scholarships and support to students on the path to a software engineering or cybersecurity career. In addition, it will support UTSA and its efforts to further enhance what is already one of the most highly regarded cybersecurity programs in the nation.

Digital Defense has a long-standing relationship with the university, including collaboration through an intern recruitment program. Over the years, UTSA’s software engineering and cybersecurity programs have produced exceptional candidates who have transitioned into full times roles at the company. Additionally, Fortra VM Software as a Service (SaaS) technology is utilized in the UTSA cybersecurity curriculum as a real-world training tool. The security platform helps students test for hidden threats on their target networks and learn about the vulnerability management process.

“We are grateful to be celebrating our 20th anniversary, a significant milestone, and wanted to give back to San Antonio, our hometown community, and the cyber security industry at large. Furthering our partnership with UTSA allows us to do both,” said Larry Hurtado, president and CEO of Digital Defense. “We seek out every opportunity to help our Nation and organizations around the globe protect their information assets from cyberattacks. The establishment of the UTSA endowment does just that – affording us the opportunity to help support the education of future generations of cybersecurity and engineering professionals, and longer term, provides additional relief to the cyber security workforce shortage.”

UTSA is an elite San Antonio education institution with national recognition in the cybersecurity field. Its cyber security program ranked best in the nation according to a Hewlett-Packard sponsored survey by the Ponemon Institute and its cybersecurity graduate program was ranked second by Universities.com.

Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

Scholarship opportunities will be available starting in 2021. Students enrolled at least part-time, in good standing and majoring in computer science with concentrations in either cyber security and/or software engineering are encouraged to apply.

“As one of the first cybersecurity companies in the world and cloud-based technologies in San Antonio, Digital Defense is an inspiring example of the impactful work that our students want to achieve in their own future careers,” said David R. Silva, Ph.D., dean of the college of sciences at UTSA. “Our students have greatly benefited from the internships and employment opportunities that Digital Defense has provided over the years. We are grateful for the company’s ongoing support and the endowed undergraduate scholarship will allow even more students to pursue a cybersecurity or software engineering career.”

About UTSA

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is a Hispanic Serving University specializing in cyber, health, fundamental futures, and social-economic development. With more than 32,000 students, it is the largest university in the San Antonio metropolitan region. UTSA advances knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. The university embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property—for Texas, the nation and the world.  Learn more online, on UTSA Today or on TwitterInstagramFacebookYouTube or LinkedIn.

About Digital Defense:

Serving clients across numerous industries, Digital Defense’s innovative and leading-edge technology helps organizations safeguard sensitive data and ease the burdens associated with information security. Fortra VM, the original Security SaaS platform, delivers unparalleled accuracy and efficiencies through multiple systems including Fortra Vulnerability Management (Fortra VM), Web Application Scanning (WAS), Active Threat Sweep (ATS) and Pen Test. The Fortra VM solutions, underpinned by patented technology and complemented with superior service and support, are highly-regarded by industry experts, as illustrated by the company’s designation as a 2020 Hot 150 Cybersecurity Company2020 Tag Cyber Distinguished Vendor, 2020 U.S. Department of Labor Platinum Medallion Award, a five-star review in SC Magazine and CRN 5-Star Partner Program rating.

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