Symantec to fund infosec student

An Internet security corporation announced last month that it is launching

a fellowship program for one student at Purdue University's Center for Education

and Research in Information Assurance and Security (CERIAS).

Symantec Corp. will provide up to $50,000 to cover the full tuition

costs and a stipend for one student for two years. The student must be a

degree-seeking student enrolled at Purdue, working with CERIAS and maintaining

a grade point average of 3.0 in his or her field of study.

In announcing the fellowship Dec. 9, 2002, Symantec said the application

deadline is March 1.

The fellowship program's goal is to increase awareness within the Internet

security industry as well as increase students' knowledge, said Teresa Bennett,

director of strategic relations at CERIAS. "Symantec is aware of the need

for security personnel. We hope Symantec will be a model others will follow,"

she said.

It is not unusual for a corporation like Symantec to team up with a

university, Bennett said. "Industry is very much involved with Purdue University.

However, the size of the gift was particularly large; $50,000 is a notable

figure," she added.

Steve Trilling, director of advanced research for Symantec, would like

to see as many trained workers as possible in the area of Internet security.

Trilling believes the fellowship program is a chance for Symantec to "actively

participate in the public/private process to help support the growing need

for security professionals."

The fellowship recipient will be announced April 8 at the annual CERIAS

Spring Symposium held on the West Lafayette, Ind., campus of Purdue University.

"The field is wide open," Bennett said. "We are looking for a good student

and hopefully this program will bring more high achieving students to Purdue

University."

According to Trilling, Symantec is looking for future opportunities

to provide fellowships at Purdue as well as other places.

The Symantec fellowship will begin during the 2003-2004 school year

and will be expanded to include a second student beginning in the fall of

2004.

Caterinicchia is a reporting intern with Federal Computer Week.