Homeland Security Scholarships
High-level and Low-level Careers in Private and Public Sectors
Homeland Security has become a household word in the last few years thanks to the terrorist threats at work in the world. Combine this with the stark realization of just how porous our U.S. borders have been up until recently and you have a high demand for professionals trained in security, law enforcement and even foreign languages.
As much as we may think of Homeland Security in relation to national security and the realm of the federal government the truth is that homeland security is nothing more than emergency management taken to the nth degree. Now more and more state governments are refining their emergency management programs to emulate more closely the model employed by the feds. And in response more and more highly trained personnel are required.
Students pursuing homeland security programs or related degrees are prepared for employment in a variety of industries including healthcare, law enforcement and public safety, private security, investigative services, information technology, emergency response and public administration.
Government Scholarships
One of the biggest employers of homeland security personnel is the federal government. In fact we will look to this big spender first for scholarship options.
The Department of Homeland Security launched its scholarship program not long ago. The program is designed to encourage students studying in disciplines relative to national security, especially math, science, social and behavior sciences and technology. The program extends very generous scholarships to both undergraduate and graduate level students in eligible degrees of study. Undergrads make up to $9,000 each academic year and grad students may earn over $20,000 per academic year. The very nature of these awards makes them extremely competitive. Only about a hundred scholarships are given each year across the country, which means only the best of the best will be chosen. If you're still in high school, give your academics all your attention now if you think this is a viable option for you.
The hitch of course is that you must be willing to consider employment with the federal government following graduation, and in the meantime able to complete paid internships with Homeland Security. These are one more fantastic opportunity to learn from the best and in areas most students would never even have the chance to tour, much less work. You won't be filling the shoes of a James Bond, but you're ensured exposure to a range of fieldwork related to National Security. How could you go wrong?
The State of Indiana has changed its former Emergency Management Department to the new Indiana Department of Homeland Security. In order to boost interest in the next generation, the state is offering the Indiana Hoosier Safety Scholarship. Interested students must be intending to pursue a career in public safety with an emphasis on providing emergency support in critical times of need. Students may be majoring in disciplines related to science, math, engineering, law enforcement, and others, but they must be members of a volunteer emergency management or public safety organization.
College Programs
Northern Illinois University provides undergraduate and graduate certificate programs in Homeland Security. The programs are designed to offer students education in a variety of disciplines preparing them for jobs in the public or private sector in business, industry, healthcare or local government. Students enrolled in the program may qualify for the Caterpillar Homeland Security Scholarship. The awards are open to all students except for freshmen and the program is supported by the State of Illinois. Qualified applicants must have excellent academic records and be able to outline in essay format career goals and interests in the scholarship. Awards are $1,000.
Students in the Long Island University-Riverhead Master of Science in Homeland Security Management or the Advanced Certificate in HS are often pursuing the programs as part of a career move or continuing education option. For this reason the university offers a tuition reduction if students are employed by a government entity. General scholarships are also available for both merit and financial need.
