Photo: DU Scholars attending the January 2023 SFS Career Fair in Washington D.C.

The application window is now open for Davenport University students seeking admission to the Department of War Cyber Service Academy, formerly the Department of Defense Cyber Scholarship Program. The program offers students from select institutions a chance at a cost-effective path to an in-demand degree, with a guaranteed job after graduation.

The application deadline is Feb. 17, 2026. More information is available at https://www.davenport.edu/academics/areas/technology/isaac/CSA.

“Given our society’s growing reliance on information technology and the increasing number of cyber security threats corporations and organizations face, building a strong cybersecurity talent pipeline is more important than ever,” said Lonnie Decker, Davenport University department chair, College of Technology. “Opening the scholarship application to Davenport students illustrates the confidence the federal government has in our ability to deliver the talent needed to address one of our nation’s most pressing challenges.”

Davenport University is recognized as a National Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. 

The Department of War Cyber Service Academy scholarship provides full tuition, fees, books, and a substantial annual stipend for food and housing to students in their junior and senior year seeking their bachelor’s or master’s degree. Undergraduate scholarship recipients receive $29,000 each year; graduate students receive $34,000. DoW also provides sponsors who maintain contact with the student during the scholarship period, and who will help the student secure internships and eventual DoW employment.

Recipients must work for the DoW or a federal government agency for one year for each year of scholarship support they receive.

“We never know how many students will be selected overall each year, as it depends on that year’s funding,” Decker said. “It’s a national selection process. One year we had three students selected, another year we didn’t have any. Two years ago they accepted two of our students. We’re encouraging all students who are interested to apply. With their experience through Davenport, we believe they have a strong chance for success.”

According to the Department of War, the objectives of the program are to promote higher education in all disciplines of cyber, to enhance the Department’s ability to recruit and retain cyber and IT specialists, to increase the number of military and civilian personnel in the DoW with this expertise, and ultimately, to enhance the nation’s cyber posture.

In previous years, Davenport University has received grants from the National Science Foundation to train and educate students in cybersecurity as part of the CyberCorps® Scholarship for Service program. 

John Melton was selected for the program in 2021. He graduated with his master’s degree in computer science in 2023 and completed his two years of service in 2025.

Melton interviewed for his service position through a program called The United States Digital Corps and was hired by the General Service Administration.

“I was an internal employee of GSA but did my work at the Defense Technical Information Center for the two years that I was a part of USDC,” Melton said.

“This scholarship completely changed the trajectory of where I was heading, career wise. I didn’t know what kind of software engineering, cyber or tech related job I wanted to do; I just knew I wanted to do something in those fields. This scholarship bridged the gap between the unknown (my career future) and actually having a career future.”